Germany reports highest single-day coronavirus death toll
From CNN’s Nadine Schmidt in Berlin
An employee of Magdeburg University Hospital performs an antigen test for the coronavirus on a man in Magdeburg, Germany, on January 12. Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/picture alliance/Getty Images
Germany has reported its highest single-day coronavirus death toll, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the country s disease control agency.
On Thursday, Germany reported 1,244 fatalities, bringing the nationwide death toll to 43,881. It was a record daily rise in Covid-19 deaths, higher than the 1,188 recorded on January 8.
The Robert Koch Institute reported 25,164 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the national total to 1,978,590.
Inflatable costume could be behind Covid outbreak at California hospital Doha Madani
A hospital in California is facing a coronavirus outbreak among its staff that might be tied to an inflatable costume worn on Christmas to cheer up patients.
At least 43 staff members tested positive for the virus between Dec. 27 and New Year’s Day, according to a statement from Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center on Saturday. The hospital’s emergency department has been deep-cleaned and all infected staff members are isolating while infected.
The hospital is looking into whether the fan on an air-powered costume could have spread droplets after a staff member briefly wore it in the emergency department on Christmas Day.