Germany reports almost 14,000 COVID-19 cases

The number of COVID-19 cases in Germany has increased by 2,958 within one day to 13,957, the German federal disease control agency Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Friday.

So far, 31 deaths in Germany had been recorded by RKI, 11 more than a day before. Other European countries such as France, Spain and especially Italy where more than 3,400 people have died from the new coronavirus, have reported much higher numbers.

"It is a dynamic development and unfortunately it is pointing upwards in almost all countries, as is also the case in Germany," said Lothar Wieler, president of the RKI, during a daily press conference.

Epidemics "vary from region to region" so that the measures taken by the local authorities were also different, said Wieler.

Large cities in Germany such as Berlin, Cologne, Munich or Hamburg with 32 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants are more affected than many eastern parts, such as the state of Thuringia where only 7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded.

According to a survey by the digital association Bitkom published on Thursday, 54 percent of Germans avoided going outside unnecessarily and 40 percent were reducing visits to friends or family. However, every fourth German citizen spoke of a panic that was "completely exaggerated."

Wieler criticized that many Germans were still not taking the pandemic seriously enough. "We can only slow down this epidemic if we play by the rules." he said, adding that keeping a distance to other people was very important.

A man walks past pillars near the closed Neues Museum (New Museum) in Berlin, capital of Germany, March 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)