RKI puts risk assessment in Germany on “high” – alarm signals from clinics
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As of: 10:55 a.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
“Assume that the patients to be cared for will triple”
– – The spread of the new corona virus is developing dynamically. What this looks like in a country comparison and what could still be expected in Germany, WELT editor Marie Przybilla talks to microbiologist Timo Ulrichs. – –
– Europe in the focus of the pandemic: The RKI considers stronger measures in Germany necessary. One reason is the dynamic – the number of serious illnesses is increasing. The current measures could remain in force for two years. – – – Dhe Robert Koch Institute has changed the risk assessment for Germany. “As of today, it can be assessed as high,” said RKI boss Lothar Wieler. The reason is the dynamic of the pandemic. There are increasing alarm signals even from well-equipped clinics. The number of serious illnesses is increasing. According to the RKI, the number of confirmed corona cases in Germany was up to Monday evening 6012 infected – that was more than 1100 cases more than the previous day. Meanwhile, the Johns Hopkins University, located in the US city of Baltimore, already assumed more than 7200 confirmed infections in Germany on Tuesday. “Stronger measures are needed to slow the spread of the virus.” The infection chains are a problem. There are more and more cases that are no longer due to known cases. The institute demands that clinics be quickly prepared for a growing number of seriously ill people. “We expect all hospitals to at least double their intensive care capacities,” said Wieler. One in five infections will be severe. “We don’t yet know what the death rate will look like in the end.” It is clear that the elderly or people with previous illnesses are particularly at risk. The risk to the population varies from region to region and can also be “very high” regionally, as in the Heinsberg district in North Rhine-Westphalia.Hospitals should “at least double intensive care capacity”
