Germany says omicron surge ‘under control’ despite records

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s health minister says a coronavirus surge fueled by the omicron variant remains “under control” despite a string of new infection records. Cases as a result of the highly contagious variant shot up in Germany at a later stage than in several other European countries. Officials in the European Union’s most populous nation attribute that to restrictions such as curbs on private gatherings, nightclub closures and requirements for restaurant and bar patrons to have received a booster shot or to present negative test. Still, infections continue to rise steeply.