Too soon to declare Covid freedom day, says German minister

A man wears a face mask as he walks on a bridge over the river Main as the sun sets in Frankfurt (Michael Probst/AP)

Germany’s health minister has said it is too soon to declare a “freedom day” from Covid-19 as the virus continues to run rampant, claiming hundreds of lives each day.

The country’s disease control agency reported 296,498 newly confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, and 288 deaths.