Germany Hits Record COVID Infection Rate Since Beginning of Pandemic

'The Guardian' reports that Germany has recorded its highest rate of COVID infections since the beginning of the pandemic. .
Through much of the country
mask-wearing mandates in most
public settings will come to an end. .
On March 16, the country's disease control
agency reported 1,607 new infections per
100,000 people in the past seven days. .
According to the Robert Koch Institute, Germany has recorded 262,593 new confirmed new cases of COVID and 269 deaths in the last 24 hours. .
'The Guardian' reports that the rate of people dying
with COVID is considerably lower now than
it was during the first winter of the pandemic. .
COVID restrictions across much
of Germany are set to expire on March 19. .
The restrictions are to be replaced
by a more lenient set of rules seen
as a bipartisan compromise. .
Masks will still be required to ride on
public transit or visit health care facilities. .
Berlin and Brandenburg are among
several German states to extend the current
set of restrictions until the end of March. .
On April 1, Berlin is expected
to end most COVID-related restrictions
and also close many free testing sites. .
The German government has reportedly retained
the ability to tighten restrictions amid surges of the virus,
including by restricting access for the unvaccinated.