German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state premiers agreed on Tuesday to extend a lockdown for most shops and schools until February 14 as part of a package of steps to try to rein in the coronavirus.
“Now is the time to take preventive measures against the threat of this virus,” Merkel told reporters after a meeting with the premiers of Germany’s 16 federal states.
The existing lockdown runs until January 31.
New infections have been decreasing in recent days and pressure on intensive care units has eased slightly, but virologists are worried about the possible spread of more infectious variants of the virus.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen by 11 369 to 2.05 million, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.
The death toll was up 989 at 47 622.
