Last checked at 
(Adds comments by public health official on infection rates,
daily infection tally, background)
BERLIN, March 19 (Reuters) - German health minister Jens
Spahn on Friday dampened hopes that further coronavirus
restrictions will be lifted soon, saying rising infections could
mean that curbs to slow the spread of the virus may have to be
re-imposed.
"The rising case numbers may mean that we cannot take
further opening steps in the weeks to come. On the contrary, we
may even have to take steps backwards," Spahn told a weekly news
conference.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet with leaders
of Germany's 16 federal states on Monday to discuss whether to
extend a lockdown that has been in place since mid-December.
Earlier this month, the group had laid out plans for a
gradual re-opening of the economy, and many shops have since
been opened for appointment-only shopping.
But coronavirus infections numbers have been on the rise in
recent weeks. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in
Germany increased by 17,482 to 2,629,750, data from the Robert
Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.
The reported death toll rose by 226 to 74,358.
The number of infections per 100,000 people over seven days
rose to 96, up from 72 a week ago and from 65 on March 4, when
Merkel and the state premiers laid out their re-opening plan.
Lars Schaade, vice-president of the Robert Koch Institute
for infectious diseases, on Friday urged people not to travel
over the Easter holiday period as case numbers were rising
exponentially.
There was a risk that Germany could be in a similar
situation by Easter as it was in at Christmas, he said.
The 7-day incidence reached a high near 200 in late
December, soon after Germany went from a "lockdown lite" that
started in early November, during which schools and stores were
open, to a full shutdown.
The incidence rate decreased following the shutdown but is
back at 96 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, according to
RKI data.
(Reporting by Caroline Copley; Writing by Maria Sheahan;
Editing by Kirsti Knolle)
