GERMANY faces the prospect of returning to a stricter lockdown after a surge in coronavirus infections and deaths.

The country has slowly been easing its lockdown after faring much better than its European neighbors as a result of an aggressive policy of mass testing.

10 Germans out and about as the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are eased Credit: EPA

10 Workers on the assembly line on the first day after work resumed at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg Credit: Getty Images - Getty

10 A man and a meerkat at Berlin zoo, which has been allowed to reopen Credit: AFP or licensors

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But the country’s virus reproduction rate - known as “R” - which measures how many people the average person with Covid-19 infects has bounced back to just below one.

That means one person with the virus infects one other on average. Earlier this month, the rate was at 0.7.

Germany saw the overall number of coronavirus cases grow by 1,018 on Monday and 1,144 on Tuesday.

There has also also been a steady rise in the number of deaths from 117 on April 25 to 188 on April 28, leading the country to start planning for a second wave of infections.

German's surge in cases comes as:

Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned if they R rate increases even slightly above 1 then the country’s health service faces being overwhelmed.

“If we get to a point where each patient is infecting 1.1 people, then by October we will be back at the limits of our health system in terms of intensive-care beds,” she said.

“If we get to 1.2 . . . then we will hit the full capacity of our health system as early as July.

She has urged Germans to show endurance and discipline to get through the coronavirus pandemic that is "still at the beginning".

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Merkel is worried that Germans are relaxing their social distancing efforts after the federal and regional governments agreed to reopen some shops this week.

“We are on thin ice, the thinnest ice even," the Chancellor told the Bundestag lower house of parliament.

"We are still far from out of the woods. We are not living in the final phase of the pandemic, but still at the beginning."

Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases, also urged caution.

“Let's ensure we can continue to defend this success we have achieved together," he told a regular briefing.

"We don't want the number of cases to rise again. Let's, insofar as is possible, stay at home, let's stick to the reduced contact."

10 A family at the zoo after the lockdown restrictions were eased Credit: EPA

10 Pupils at a Berlin school observing social distancing in class Credit: Getty Images - Getty

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The collapse in world trade and consumer demand has left Germany facing the worst economic recession since the Second World War.

So far shops with floor space of up to 800 square metres are now allowed to open, along with car and bicycle dealers, and bookstores.

Professional soccer was due to restart on May 9 though doubts have now been cast on that.

A number of precautions were to be in place for the sport's return, including players going to games in separate buses, sex bans and stars wearing masks to play.

Football chiefs planned for grounds to be limited to a maximum of 300 people at any time, including four police officers, 10 journalists, four ball kids, eight groundsman and 50 security staff – meaning fans would not be allowed in.

German retailers have been trying to persuade the government to let all stores operate normally from May 4.

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Schools across the country are to begin slowly reopening classes for all grades until the summer vacation but pupils will only be allowed to go to schools in rotating shifts and not on a daily basis.

The government in Berlin is extending a global travel warning put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus until June 14.

Germans were advised against non-essential travel abroad, particularly against travel for tourism.

It was originally extended to May 3 along with Germany's nationwide social distancing measures banning contact.

10 Berlin's Mayor Michael Mueller, centre, inspects a ward during a visit to a new field hospital Credit: AFP or licensors