Virus testing lab in Germany 'nearing capacity'

A coronavirus testing laboratory in Rhineland-Palatinate said it was nearing its capacity as Germany's infection numbers have been increasing in the past weeks.

Bioscientia is the largest medical laboratory in Rhineland-Palatinate and one of four performance centers for COVID-19 diagnostics in Germany.

It was the first institution in Rhineland-Palatinate to set up an outpatient smear clinic, and several thousand tests for the coronavirus are carried out daily.

The Robert Koch Institute, the country’s disease control center, says 7,595 new cases were registered on Wednesday.

The number of new cases per 100,000 over the last seven days has risen to 51.3.

German states are imposing stricter coronavirus restrictions as the numbers of new infections continue to rise across the country.

The country's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, announced that all students from fifth grade up will have to start wearing masks in class when they return from the fall break on Monday.

The measure's expected to remain in place until at least the Christmas break, authorities said.

Image: PTI