Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn arrives for a news conference on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Berlin, Germany March 26, 2021. (Photo: AP)

Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn says Germany needs a strict lockdown last at least 10-14 days to reduce the rapid rise of coronavirus infections, which has been fueled by a more contagious variant.

The country’s disease control agency announced 20,472 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 157 additional deaths on Saturday. The head of the Robert Koch Institute said Friday that Germany could see as many as 100,000 infections daily if infections keep rising exponentially.

This week, the governors of Germany’s 16 states resisted imposing stricter rules demanded by medical experts. Some states have also refused to implement an “emergency brake” previously agreed with Chancellor Angela Merkel when weekly case numbers rise above 100 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Spahn said at a public meeting Saturday, “if we look at the numbers, including the developments today, we need another 10-14 days, at least, of properly driving down contacts and movements, a lockdown if you want to call it that, like we had for Easter last year.”