Berlin, Nov 5 (IANS): The Covid-19 situation in Germany could further worsen in the course of the fourth wave, German media has reported.

The Covid-19 wave in Germany was "unfortunately developing exactly as feared" as not enough people had been vaccinated and measures such as the so-called 3G rules which stand for vaccinated, recovered or tested were no longer being adequately implemented, Tagesspiegel quoted Lothar Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), as reporting.

"If we do not take countermeasures now, this fourth wave will again bring much suffering," said Wieler, warning that many people would "become seriously ill and die, and the health care system will again be heavily burdened."

According to Germany's DIVI intensive care registry, 2,226 Covid-19 patients were treated in intensive care units as of Wednesday, around 460 more than a week ago. At the peak of the pandemic in January 2021, over 5,700 patients needed intensive care, Xinhua news agency reported.

After two weeks of climbing case numbers, Germany's seven-day Covid-19 incidence rate slightly decreased for the second time in a row to 146.6 cases per 1,00,000 inhabitants on Wednesday, according to the RKI.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said the pandemic was "anything but over." He emphasized the importance of booster vaccinations and repeated his call for more booster vaccinations, adding that the pace in Germany was not sufficient.

As of Tuesday, around 55.6 million people in Germany had been fully vaccinated, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 66.8 per cent, the RKI said.