(Bloomberg) -- Germany registered a record increase in new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to just under 1 million, hours after the government extended a partial shutdown designed to check the spread of the disease.
There were 32,687 new infections in Europe's biggest economy in the 24 hours through Thursday morning, lifting the total to 995,879, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That exceeded the previous high of 31,480 set three weeks ago.
The number of daily fatalities rose by 378, the most since mid-April, to 15,210, and has now exceeded 300 for three straight days for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.
Read more: Merkel Extends German Virus Curbs to Just Before Christmas
Cases have tripled since the start of October, prompting the government to order the closing of restaurants, gyms and cinemas for the month of November and place restrictions on social contact.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Germany's 16 states on Wednesday agreed to prolong the measures for at least three weeks to Dec. 20, after more than seven hours of talks via video conference.
Under the agreement, officials also tightened limits on private gatherings, but kept schools and most businesses operating in an attempt to limit damage to the economy.
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