Berlin: Most of the public health department in Germany has stopped contacting contacts for people infected with Covid-19 because of being overloaded, said Ute Teichert, federal chairman of the Public Health Doctor.
“Comprehensive tracking almost does not occur at all at all at this time,” Teichert told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), added that some federal countries such as Baden-Wuerttemberg, Berlin and Hamburg “even truly suspended contacts”, Xinhua news agency reported.
Germany strengthened the new wave of Covid-19 pandemic, which was caused by an omicron variant that was more contagious, to hit the country.
Omicron waves can even worsen the lack of staff in the country’s health care system.
“Because the omicron variant, we experience a situation in Germany where the health department will eventually not be able to compensate for the sick staff,” he said.
After introducing more stringent health measures, the incidence of Covid-19 Germany has declined for about two weeks and fell to 265.8 infections per 100,000 residents per week, down from around 332 weeks ago, according to Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Friday.
Daily infections also declined and dropped to 35,431 cases recorded in one day, around 15,500 less than a week ago, according to RKI, federal government agencies for controlling and prevention of disease.
But RKI warns that it is possible that only an incomplete picture of the epidemiological situation is given.
Lower testing and reporting activities must be expected during the Christmas holidays and until New Year’s Day, RKI notes.
German health system struggled to track covid chains
