German health minister admits Covid-19 'summer wave' has arrived

After saying on Tuesday that a new wave of coronavirus infections was "to be expected," Germany's Health Minister Karl Lauterbach admitted on Wednesday that it was now "a reality."

The seven-day incidence rate of infection has risen sharply in the past week in Germany, and hit 472.4 on Wednesday, according to national disease authorities - compared to 447.3 on Tuesday, and 238.1 last week.

"The expected summer wave has unfortunately become a reality," Lauterbach told the Rheinische Post daily. "This also means that there is unlikely to be a let-up in the coming weeks."

The elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions should "urgently" have another vaccination, he said.

The spread of the highly infectious Omicron subtype BA.5 is thought to be partly behind the fast rise in the infection rate.

At this stage in pandemic the incidence rate is however not seen as presenting a complete picture. For some time now, experts estimate a high number of cases that are not officially recorded, mainly because the course of disease can be mild, and not all infected people take an officially recognized PCR test.