Signs lockdown may be slowing COVID spread in Germany

Germany's disease control agency said Thursday the coronavirus situation in the country remains serious but there are signs that lockdown measures are slowing the spread of the virus.

The head of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, said the outbreak is still "serious, very serious" and there's a risk that hospitals may be overwhelmed by the continued high number of cases.

Wieler said that while the number of new virus cases has remained stable in the last two weeks, the overall number is ''far too high.''

Germany introduced tighter restrictions at the beginning of November, shutting restaurants, bars and gyms but leaving open stores and schools.

The Institute reported 22,609 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and 251 additional deaths.