Merkel urges those not vaccinated against COVID-19 to get their first shot, saying it is not too late

Merkel labels the COVID-19 situation in Germany as dramatic

She's not exactly wrong as the 7-day incidence rate has surged up to a whopping 343.9 in the past 24 hours with the number of active COVID-19 cases fast approaching the 500,000 mark across the country.

The worry here is that medical capacity is also starting to take a hit. Here's a look at ICU cases involving COVID-19 as of 11 November:

That figure has now jumped up to 3,190 cases as of yesterday.

While not nearly as critical as the November to December wave last year, it is still a pressing concern if the virus trend continues to go unopposed in the weeks/months ahead especially since vaccinations have plateaued across Europe.