Germany's daily COVID-19 infections reach record high of 65,000

BERLIN -- The number of daily COVID-19 infections in Germany continued to rise strongly, exceeding 65,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases announced on Thursday.

Daily infections increased by around 15,000 within one week as the country's seven-day COVID-19 incidence rate climbed to 336.9 cases per 100,000 people, according to the RKI. A week ago, the seven-day incidence rate still stood at 249.1.

"We are heading into a serious emergency at the moment. We will really have a very bad Christmas if we do not take countermeasures now," said RKI President Lothar Wieler on Wednesday during an online debate.

"We have never been as worried as we are now," said Wieler. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients is rising, he said, adding that for people suffering from strokes, it can take up to two hours to find a free intensive care bed in some places.

As of Wednesday, 56.4 million people in Germany have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 67.8 percent, according to the RKI.