BERLIN: Germany is in a difficult stage of the coronavirus pandemic and should close down parts of society over the Christmas period to get infections under control, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Thursday.

Speaking in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, Spahn said infection numbers remained "too high" and that it was right that regions with very high infection numbers were imposing additional restrictions.

"There needs to be an overall shutdown in society for all of us, also around the turn of the year," Spahn told the Bundestag lower house of parliament, as he urged people to reduce contacts.