For the first time in months, the seven-day coronavirus incidence rate across Germany has fallen below 100, the Robert Koch Institute confirmed on Thursday morning. 

A glimmer of hope as incidence rate falls in Germany

The so-called seven day incidence rate - the number of new cases recorded per 100.000 residents within a week - has fallen below 100 in Germany, for the first time since the end of October. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday morning that, nationwide, 98 infections per 100.000 inhabitants were reported to health authorities in the past seven days. 

This means that the seven-day incidence rate - a key measure that the federal government uses to judge whether restrictions should be loosened or tightened - has roughly halved since reaching a record high just before Christmas. On December 22, the seven-day incidence was 197,6. 

The federal and state governments want to push the value below 50 to bring the virus under control and relieve pressure on the healthcare system. The last time the rate was this low was on October 20. 

R-rate is below 1 in Germany

The nationwide seven-day R-value was 0,87 on Wednesday evening, according to the RKI’s situation report, down from 0,88 the previous day. This means that 100 people infected with COVID-19 theoretically go on to infect a further 87 people. If this value remains below 1 for a long period of time, the pandemic will begin to subside. 

German health authorities reported 17.553 new coronavirus infections to the RKI in the 24 hours to Thursday morning. A further 941 deaths were recorded. Last Thursday, the RKI recorded 20.398 new infections and 1.013 new deaths.