Covid infection numbers are going through the roof in Berlin – that could be the reason

Bremen is currently the number 1 corona hotspot in Germany. But the city-state on the Weser is facing competition in terms of infection rates – in a negative sense. Because in Berlin, too, the number of infections is skyrocketing.

The city-state makes up the list of the ten districts and cities most affected by Corona behind Bremen with seven of its twelve districts – more than any other federal state. With Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Neukölln, two Berlin districts have an incidence of over 1000, six others have torn the 900 mark or are about to do so. The Marzahn-Hellersdorf district alone, with an incidence of 302.8, is far behind and only moderately affected by Corona. But appearances are deceptive: A technical malfunction prevents the transmission of current data from Marzahn.

Corona in Berlin: high population density fuels infection processes

But why is Corona currently so rampant in Berlin?

On the one hand, this is due to the fact that in the metropolis of 3.7 million people with an area of ​​891.8 square kilometers, very many people live in a confined space – which is explosive in the times of Omikron. After Munich, Berlin is the closest populated city Germany: 4,118 inhabitants live here on average on one square kilometer. The population density is highest in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, with 14,374 people living in one square kilometer – that should also explain why this district is currently the capital’s biggest hotspot.

Large families sometimes live in small apartments

Similar reasons could also be given for Neukölln, the second most affected by Corona and the Berlin district directly adjacent to the Friedrichshain hotspot. After Friedrichshain and Mitte, it has the third largest population density (7299 inhabitants per square kilometer). Most of the cramped Neukölln housing conditions would continue to fuel the infection, explains Christian Berg, press spokesman for the Neukölln district office, in an interview with “t-online“. “Big families in small rooms. With six, seven or even eight members of the household in three rooms – you get infected faster, ”he says. Isolation in the event of infection is often not possible.

Lots of contacts at work and language barriers

In addition, the fact that many people from Neukölln work in the service sector are decisive for the spread of the virus. “There is no home office possible, they have a lot of contacts,” explains Berg. Furthermore, low-income families in particular live in the district with affordable housing. The infection process also plays a role: “People with less money are less familiar with health offers,” says Berg. In addition, many citizens in Neukölln have a migration background and, in part due to a language barrier, cannot be reached with awareness-raising campaigns and vaccination campaigns. Surf tip: You can find all the news about the corona pandemic in the news ticker from FOCUS Online

The observations that arise with a view to Neukölln and Friedrichshain can probably also be related to the other districts of Berlin to a certain extent. In general, the diffuse infection process typical of Germany should also play a role – as well as a spark of unpredictability.