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School in Germany (archive picture)
Photo: Frank Molter / dpa
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registers a particularly high number of corona infections among children and adolescents in individual regions of Germany.
In eight districts, the seven-day incidence is currently more than 500 among 10 to 19-year-olds, the RKI tweeted on Thursday evening for an evaluation in the new Corona weekly report.
More detailed information on the specific counties and their respective numbers were not given, but counties were colored accordingly on a map.
The RKI also gave no information on possible backgrounds for the regionally high numbers.
Nationwide, the seven-day incidence last week in the age groups under 20 years, however, decreased slightly compared to the week before, it was said in summary.
In contrast, the values for people over 20 increased slightly.
The RKI also spoke of 636 school breakouts transmitted nationwide for the past four weeks - due to possible late registrations, however, the past two weeks in particular cannot yet be assessed.
For some time now, numerous infections have been found, especially in children from school age and in adolescents.
The virus is tested regularly at daycare centers and schools.
So far, the Covid-19 vaccines have been approved for ages twelve and up.
The vaccination rate for 12 to 17 year olds is much lower than for adults.
Children and adolescents are significantly less likely to get seriously ill with Covid-19 than older people, but there are still unanswered questions about long-term consequences.
The RKI continues to write that there has been a plateau in the number of cases of patients with Covid-19 in the intensive care units over the past few weeks.
Almost 1,400 adults suffering from Covid are currently being cared for there.
The Divi Intensive Register indicates the proportion of underage people affected at 0.7 percent (as of October 14).
Breakthrough vaccinations more common in old age
According to the report, the increase in incidence is mostly slight in the groups over 70 years of age for whom the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) now recommends booster vaccination.
It is larger, especially among the very old over 90 years - the value rose from 39 to 48 from the week before last to last week.
In older age, the immune response after vaccinations is generally lower and vaccination breakthroughs could more often lead to a more severe course, according to the Stiko justification for the booster vaccinations.
Overall, the RKI currently rates the situation in terms of the number of infections as stagnating.
The developments in the individual federal states differ.
In a comparison of the past two weeks, Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg and Saarland recorded significant increases, according to the weekly report.
jok / dpa