Germany extends COVID-19 restriction measures till January

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Wednesday that the federal and state governments have agreed to extend the country's current COVID-19 restriction measures till Jan. 10.

Merkel said that Germany was still "very far away" from target numbers regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The death toll was very high, which showed the responsibility of the federal and state governments.

The aim is to reach a level of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days, Merkel noted.

In response to the pandemic, all types of catering and sports and leisure facilities in Germany have been closed since the beginning of November. Although the restrictions implemented last month have halted the sharp rise in the number of infections, the daily increase in cases remains high.

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Germany increased by 487 in the last 24 hours, a new record, bringing the toll in the country to 17,123, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said Wednesday.

New infections also remained high and increased by 17,270, taking the tally to over 1.08 million cases, according to the RKI, the federal government agency for disease control and prevention.