The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 1,209 to 167,300, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.

Iran PressEurope: The death toll rose by 147 to 7,266, the tally showed. The reproduction rate of the coronavirus in Germany is currently estimated at 0.65, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said.

The rate is one of the factors that are closely monitored when deciding on further loosening restrictions.

A rate of 0.65 means that 100 people who contracted the disease infect on average 65 more, meaning the number of new infections will decrease.

Meanwhile, Senior German health official Lars Schaade said a second coronavirus wave could hit Germany before autumn. Case numbers are falling but this is not an all-clear signal, Schaade said at a news conference.

Case numbers are falling but this is not an all-clear signal, Lars Schaade, Vice President of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases, said at a news conference.

COVID-19 was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread across the world. In late January, the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency in light of the epidemic.

The global death toll is 270,720, with 3,917,532  confirmed cases, also, 1,343,054 people have recovered.

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