Health workers speak to a motorist in front of the entrance to the University Hospital in Magdeburg, Germany, on Saturday, March 21. Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa via AP

Germany has reported a further 2,705 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 16,662, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the country’s center for disease and control.

There have also been 16 new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total to 47, according to Saturday's update.

Officials are debating how best to respond to the continued spread of the virus.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman announced Friday that the government would re-evaluate its coronavirus containment measures, but dodged the question of if -- and when -- curfews should be imposed.

It comes as the state of Bavaria declared Friday it is imposing -- from midnight local time -- state-wide exit restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus. The Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder announced the measures will be in place for two weeks.

Several German state premiers and local communities have raised concerns about the rate of the virus’s spread across Germany -- and have called for a nationwide lockdown.

However, Germany is a federal state and decisions cannot be implemented nationwide by the Chancellor -- only in collaboration with state premiers.