Germany's Merkel expects infection rates to rise with colder weather

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a press conference after a meeting to discuss spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Berlin, Germany, September 29, 2020. Kay Nietfeld/POOL via REUTERS

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expects the rate of infection spread to rise as the change in weather means more people will spend time inside in the coming months.

Speaking after a video conference with premiers of the federal states, Merkel said the number of daily infections could rise to 19,200 in three months if the rate of infection continued as it has done over the past three months.

FILE PHOTO: The skyline with its financial district is photographed during sunset as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, September 7, 2020, REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

(Reporting by Madeline Chambers and Thomas Escritt; Writing by Caroline Copley; Editing by Michael Nienaber)