Merkel to discuss returning to harder lockdown with state leaders

Berlin (dpa) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel will join state leaders on Monday to discuss whether a return to a harder lockdown is needed after the country surpassed a key threshold in coronavirus infection numbers.

Despite hopes for more lockdown relaxations in time for the Easter holiday weekend, which falls at the start of April this year, Germany is likely to halt its plans for reopenings after the seven-day incidence of new infections rose in the past few days.

Officials previously agreed to use an “emergency brake” and renew restrictions if the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants during the course of a week exceeded the threshold of 100 for three consecutive days. On Sunday, this seven-day incidence figure rose to 103.9.

Early Monday, the Robert Koch Institute for disease control announced that 7,709 new coronavirus infections and 50 virus-related deaths had been registered within the last 24 hours.

With that, the seven-day incidence figure rose to 107.3, the RKI said.

“We are now in what is probably the most critical phase of the pandemic,” Ralph Brinkhaus, the head of the conservative CDU’s parliamentary group, said early Monday.

“The emergency brake agreed at the beginning of March must therefore be implemented consistently and without exception,” he said. “The lockdown measures have to be expanded again, otherwise it will be a very difficult summer for all of us.”

Government officials and state leaders, speaking online, are also set to debate the possibility of at least allowing citizens to travel to holiday homes in their own state during the Easter holidays.