More than 11,000 new cases in one day thes maps show in red, where they've been 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a seven day period.

Left is a map of Germany two months ago.

Now to the right, it's clear half of Germany has changed color, and the situation is now very serious.

The number of infections is rising quickly in many places, and we don't know where that number is headed.

But we can still slow the spread.

Everyone can play their part.

We're not powerless if we follow all of those rules 1.5 m distance, hand washing and compulsory masks in public places such as while out shopping, those rules seem to work for Germany.

The majority of people don't catch the virus at work or on public transport.

But in private setting, such as a private parties or weddings, dogs will mention garner.

The virus spreads where people enjoy coming together and where they want to get to know each other.

There is more intense interaction in those settings you discuss things, you laugh.

You're having a good time than the virus, naturally, as a much better chance of spreading if there's an infected person present.

With infection rates accelerating fast, some labs in Germany, like this one in Rhineland Palatinate, are warning that smaller facilities are already working at full capacity on wouldn't necessarily be able to cope with rising numbers.

There's also increasing concern that Mawr areas in Germany will have to implement restrictions again, like here, investors Gardner land in Bavaria, where even schools have closed down again to curb the spread.

The southern state of Bavaria is one of the worst hit regions of the country.

The area around Baptist Garden has already gone into lock down on Monday, and the regional government in Munich says it may introduce a 9 p.m. curfew if infection rates continue to rise.

Elsewhere in the state.

Here in Berlin, Germany's public health bodies, Robert Cock Institute, is appealing to the public to follow the rules on social distancing, hygiene and mask wearing in this situation is now very serious.

The number of infections is rising quickly in many places and we don't know where that number is, headed waken still slow the spread.

Everyone can play their part.

We're not powerless.

If we follow all of those rules, well, joining us from or is our political correspondent, Hans Brandt Hans, put this into perspective for us.

How serious is the situation in Germany?

Or we just heard the government, the government's infection control head, Talking about how serious the situation is very serious, he says.

To put this a little bit into perspective.

Four weeks ago, Angela Merkel said in the press conference that she expected the number of cases per day to rise to somewhere on 19 0 by Christmas if nothing was done.

Now we are at over 11,000, and that's just four weeks ago.

Eso It's just bean.

It's almost two months to Christmas.

In other words, it's going much, much faster than Angela Merkel thought at the time, and at the time one thought she was being alarmist, So the situation really is very serious.

At the same time, one has to say that although the virus is spreading all over Germany, there is not yet a sense off having lost control or off panic in the countries, uh, control off the off the virus.

At the same time, the appeals to the public to stick to the rules to restrict their social contacts toe have just small groups in which people need toe stay away from large gatherings.

These appeals are increasing and are increasing in intensity and and seriousness.

Hans is Germany's health system prepared to cope with this?

How are things looking in the hospitals at the moment?

One has to say the hospitals are not yet under strain.

There are about just something like 950 people in intensive care with covered 19 at the moment, about half of them are being treated on the respiratory or, in other words, are very serious cases.

But one has to say this is a situation.

The number of cases in hospital reflects really the number of infections 3 to 4 years weeks ago because obviously somebody gets infected, then it takes about a week for that person to get symptoms, and it takes a week or two for that person to get serious symptoms and go to a hospital.

So what's happening in hospital at the moment reflects the situation three or four weeks ago at the moment There are still thousands of beds in intensive care available in German hospitals.

But if the number off infections increases at the rate that it has bean, then that will be exhausted pretty quickly within the next two or three weeks.

Hans, thank you very much for bringing us up to date there.

DW political correspondent Hans Plant And here's a quick look at a few other developments in the pandemic.

Ireland is locking down for a second time the first European country to do so.

Non essential businesses will close, and bars and restaurants will be limited to take away service.

The lock down his plan for six weeks.

Infections in the Czech Republic continue to rise steeply, with just under 15,000 new cases.

The country has seen a second daily record high, and AstraZeneca and Oxford universities say their vaccine trial will continue despite the death of a volunteer in Brazil.