Germany exceeded 50,000 deaths from Covid-19, according to data published Friday by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country’s disease control agency.
In the last 24 hours, Germany reported 859 new fatalities related to Covid-19, bringing the total to 50,642. The RKI also registered 17,862 new coronavirus infections, totaling 2,106,262
So far, Germany has immunized 1,401,693 people – about 1.7% of its population – according to RKI data. Among those vaccinated were 341,768 nursing home residents and about 468,814 medical professionals, according to data from the country’s federal states.
Stricter measures: On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to take “very seriously” the spread of the new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus.
Earlier in the week, Germany extended a national blockade until February 14, implementing stricter rules, including making FFP2 masks mandatory in public spaces and forcing German companies to allow employees to work from home until mid-March, when possible .