New rise in Covid infections raises fears of a second wave
South Korea, China and Germany report new virus clusters after easing of restrictions
New clusters of coronavirus infections are igniting concerns about a second wave even as calls grow in some countries to relax restrictions even further.
In Germany, where thousands have protested in recent days against the remaining restrictions, health officials said the number of people each confirmed coronavirus patient infects rose above 1 again, reflecting a renewed increase in cases.
The number must be below one for outbreaks to decline.
Worldwide, health officials are anxiously watching to see just how much infection rates rise in a second wave as nations and states emerge from varying degrees of lockdown.
China reported 14 new cases on Sunday, its first double-digit rise in 10 days.
Eleven of 12 domestic infection tions were in the northeastern province of Jilin, which prompted authorities to raise the threat level in one of its counties, Shulan, to high risk, just days after downgrading all regions to low risk.
Authorities said the Shulan outbreak originated with a 45-year-old woman who had no recent travel or exposure history but spread it to her husband, her three sisters and other family members. Train services in the county were being suspended.
Officials on Sunday also reported the first case of coronavirus in over a month in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak first started in December last year.
“Epidemic control and prevenis a serious and complicated matter, and local authorities should never be overly optimistic, war-weary or off-guard,” said Jilin Communist Party secretary Bayin Chaolu.
South Korea reported 34 more cases as new infections linked to nightclub-goers. It was the first time that South Korea’s daily infections were above 30 in about a month.
Germany has seen regional spikes in cases linked to slaughterhouses and nursing homes. German officials have expressed concerns about the growing number of large demonstrations against the lockdowns, including one in the southwestern city of Stuttgart that drew thousands of participants. Police in Berlin had to step in Saturday after hundreds of people failed to respect social distancing measures at anti-lockdown rallies in Berlin. Australia and Switzerland also witnessed similar rallies.