Germany tightens border controls to protect against virus variant

Berlin, January 25 (RHC)-- Germany stepped up its efforts on Sunday to stop coronavirus variants such as the mutation that originated in the UK, from spreading throughout the country by implementing tougher border controls.

Germany's federal police were instructed to carry out exhaustive controls of travellers arriving from high-risk areas and checking whether they carried a negative test with them and the needed forms to enter the country.

New coronavirus infections have been decreasing in recent days in Germany and the occupancy of intensive care beds by COVID-19 patients has declined by 10-15%, according to authorities.  The number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 12,257 to 2,134,936, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 349 to 51,870, the tally showed.