The seven-day incidence has been rising for over four weeks.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Thursday morning, it was 19.4 - the previous day the value was 18.5, on the Thursday of the previous week it was 16.0.

The health authorities in Germany reported 3539 new corona infections to the RKI within one day.

This is evident from the figures that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 4:20 a.m.

A week ago, the value for Germany was 3142 infections.

The incidence has so far been the basis for many corona restrictions in the pandemic, for example as part of the federal emergency brake that expired at the end of June.

In the future, other values ​​such as hospital admissions are to be taken into account to a greater extent.

According to the new information, 26 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.

A week ago there were 21 deaths.

The RKI has counted 3,780,985 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not detected.

The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered at 3,661,200.

The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 91,730.

Pharmacies expect a higher willingness to vaccinate

The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists (BAK) expects an increasing willingness to vaccinate due to the discussed end of the free corona rapid tests. "The announcement that the rapid tests will become chargeable for those who refuse to be vaccinated from a certain point in time could actually increase the willingness to vaccinate those who are undecided - and that is a good thing," says BAK President Thomas Benkert of the Rheinische Post newspaper. At the same time, he calls for the free test to be retained for those people who cannot be vaccinated.

According to a newspaper report, the corona rapid tests, which have so far been free for citizens, have already cost the federal government more than three billion euros this year.

The information came from the Federal Office for Social Security (BAS), announced the Federal Ministry of Health, according to the newspaper Rheinische Post.

Accordingly, the federal government paid for laboratory diagnostics services in the amount of 782 million euros, 1.084 billion euros in material costs for the antigen rapid tests and other services in accordance with the current test regulation amounting to just under 1.75 billion euros, including in particular the smear tests.

In addition, according to the report, the federal government took on around 74 million euros this year for tests in integration assistance facilities and homeless shelters.

In total, the previous costs for 2021 amount to just under 3.7 billion euros.

Also criticism at the end of the free tests

The Federal Ministry of Health wants to expire the free corona tests for everyone in October.

The managing director of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband, Ulrich Schneider, warned of the social consequences.

"For us as a charity it is important that all those who cannot be tested and for whom the Stiko has no vaccination recommendation continue to have free corona tests," he told the newspaper.

The parliamentary manager of the Left, Jan Korte, also criticized the federal government's plans. People who could not be vaccinated depend on infections being detected quickly, he told the newspaper. "It would therefore be fatal if the federal government now steals from its responsibility and withdraws test offers."