Sign up to FREE email alerts from Mirror - The Coronavirus Briefing Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid EmailThe coronavirus reproduction rate has shot up in Germany as the country exits lockdown - sparking fears of a second wave of the virus. Scientists estimate that the closely-monitored R rate jumped to 1.79 after a raft of localised outbreaks. When smoothed for short-term effects, them government-affiliated institute estimated the country's reproduction rate at 1.55, up from 1.17 on Friday. A reproduction rate, or 'R', of 1.79 means that 100 people who contracted the virus infect, on average, 179 other people. Chancellor Angela Merkel had favoured maintaining lockdown discipline for longer, but Germany eventually eased restrictions following pressure from regional premiers.

Source: Daily Mirror June 21, 2020 02:23 UTC