German cities call for fresh measures against summer coronavirus wave

German cities are calling for swift action by the government to contain a summer wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need quick decisions and a new federal infection control law before the summer break," the head of the national cities' association, Markus Lewe, told the newspapers of the Funke media group.

He said it was becoming clear that current legal measures were not sufficient. "The coronavirus pandemic must not keep taking us by surprise," he said.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said earlier this week that Germany is already seeing the effects of a summer wave of the pandemic, with infection numbers on a fast-rising trend.

Later on Friday, Lauterbach plans to discuss the situation with experts from the national disease body, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

Germany's current laws covering measures to fight the coronavirus expire on September 23.

The parliament or Bundestag will go into its summer break in three weeks, on July 8, and will not reconvene until the start of September.

The RKI reported in its latest official virus infection figures on Friday that the seven-day incidence rate was at 427.8. This was lower than the previous day (480), but considerably higher than the previous week's figure, which was 318.7.