'The Guardian' reports that Germany has recorded its highest rate of COVID infections since the beginning of the pandemic. .<br />Through much of the country <br />mask-wearing mandates in most <br />public settings will come to an end. .<br />On March 16, the country's disease control <br />agency reported 1,607 new infections per <br />100,000 people in the past seven days. .<br />According to the Robert Koch Institute, Germany has recorded 262,593 new confirmed new cases of COVID and 269 deaths in the last 24 hours. .<br />'The Guardian' reports that the rate of people dying <br />with COVID is considerably lower now than <br />it was during the first winter of the pandemic. .<br />COVID restrictions across much <br />of Germany are set to expire on March 19. .<br />The restrictions are to be replaced <br />by a more lenient set of rules seen <br />as a bipartisan compromise. .<br />Masks will still be required to ride on <br />public transit or visit health care facilities. .<br />Berlin and Brandenburg are among <br />several German states to extend the current <br />set of restrictions until the end of March. .<br />On April 1, Berlin is expected <br />to end most COVID-related restrictions <br />and also close many free testing sites. .<br />The German government has reportedly retained <br />the ability to tighten restrictions amid surges of the virus, <br />including by restricting access for the unvaccinated.
