File photo: AFP

Germany has reported 2,337 new infections of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, with total cases reaching 150,383, according to data from disease control agency Robert Koch Institute released Friday morning.

A total of 5,321 deaths have been recorded, an increase of 227 over the past 24 hours. Around 106,800 people have recovered, 3,500 more than the previous day, statistics showed.

On Thursday in an address to the Bundestag, the lower house of the country's parliament, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said recent figures "bring hope", but "the interim result is fragile".

Merkel also criticized some areas for being "too brisk" in dealing with the pandemic, asking all to remain wise and cautious and "not gamble away our achievements now and risk a setback."

Some smaller businesses and public places in the country have been allowed to open since Monday, while nationwide restrictions of people's movements are to be kept in place until at least May 3.

Despite efforts to coordinate a national response, the country's 16 states have locked down or opened up to varying degrees, with some debating whether to further loosen restrictions.