Some federal states, including Bavaria in the south, have already implemented their own lockdown measures.

Germany has already taken steps to try to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by expanding border controls to EU travelers and suspending various aspects of public life.

Also Sunday, Merkel said she will go into self-quarantine at home after a doctor who gave her a vaccination tested positive for the coronavirus.

A government spokesperson said the doctor had given the chancellor a “prophylactic pneumococcus vaccine” on Friday afternoon.

The chancellor was informed of the positive test after she announced strict new rules across the country on Sunday aimed at containing the virus, the spokesperson said.

She decided to immediately self-quarantine and will be tested regularly in the coming days, but will continue her official duties from home, the government said.

On Wednesday, Merkel addressed the nation in a televised audience with an empathetic plea for solidarity and an end to stockpiling. She also called on residents to accept temporary restrictions on their way of life in order to curtail the spread of the virus.

To date, there have been 24,714 cases in Germany with 92 deaths.

