Germany s disease control agency reported 52,826 new coronavirus cases Wednesday as infection rates continue to climb.

The Robert Koch Institute said 294 more people died in Germany of COVID-19 since the previous day, bringing the country's pandemic death toll to 98,274.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn has called on doctors not to be too strict about waiting at least six months before giving patients vaccine booster shots.

Infections have shot up in recent weeks, particularly among unvaccinated people, with southern and eastern Germany the hardest hit.

The district of Meissen, near Dresden reported almost 1,305 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past week.

Meanwhile, authorities in neighboring Austria have said travelers will need to show a negative PCR test upon entering the country; previously, results from the cheaper lateral flow tests were allowed.

The Alpine nation on Monday implemented a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people who haven’t recently had COVID-19.

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