A surge in the number of new coronavirus cases across Germany has pushed the nation’s testing capacity to near breaking point.

Both the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control and the Association of Accredited Laboratories in Medicine warned on Tuesday that the system for testing was reaching its limits.

“We are in the middle of a marathon,” said RKI vice president Lars Schaade, who warned that the doubling of new cases over the last 10 days meant Germany could face a daily count of 400,000 by Christmas if the virus continues to spread unabated.

This would mean that more than 3 million tests a week would be necessary, he added.

Germany introduced a partial, four-week lockdown this week in a bid to bring the pandemic back under control.

“We are in a decisive phase,” said Health Minister Jens Spahn, who only returned to his office this week after suffering a bout of the virus.

Highlighting the rapid spread of the virus across the nation, government leaders, ministers and senior public figures who attended Saturday’s opening of Berlin’s new airport have been forced to undergo testing or go into quarantine.

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This came after Brandenburg state premier Dietmar Woidke, who attended the weekend launch, tested positive on Tuesday.

The RKI reported on Tuesday 15,352 new infections within one day, bringing the total caseload so far in Germany to 560,379. The death toll rose by 131 to 10,661.

Spahn insisted that the health sector would receive comprehensive support to deal with the crisis. “No clinic should be economically disadvantaged because of the coronavirus,” he said.

The RKI’s Schaade called on people to comply with the new anti-pandemic measures, which are initially in place for the month of November.

These include limits on meetings to no more than two households and sweeping mask rules, while restaurants, bars and other sport and leisure facilities have been forced to close.

Schaade also stressed that doctors should introduce tougher criteria for tests, such as only testing those with symptoms or members of a risk group.

The RKI’s concerns were echoed by Germany’s Association of Accredited Laboratories in Medicine, which also warned that on the basis of data from 162 laboratories that test capacity had reached 100 per cent for the first time nationwide.

If demand continues to rise, or if there is possible equipment or personnel failure, there is a risk of a collapse in supply, the industry body warned.

The situation was “dangerous and no longer acceptable,” said association head Michael Mueller.

DPA

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