Merkel says German coronavirus infections could hit 19,200 a day - source

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany September 16, 2020. Michael Sohn/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel told leaders of her Christian Democrats (CDU) on Monday that coronavirus infection rate could hit 19,200 per day in Germany if the current trend continues but stressed that the economy must be kept running, a party source said.

Infections have been rising in Germany for weeks. Data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose by 1,192 on Monday. The case load has leapt by more than 2,000 on some recent days.