Merkel presses German states to get tough with COVID curbs

People wearing protective masks as they are crossing a bridge in front of the head quarter of the European Central Bank (ECB,R) during sunset as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, March 27, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

BERLIN (Reuters) -Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Germany's states on Sunday to step up efforts to curb rapidly rising coronavirus infections, and raised the possibility of introducing curfews to try to get a third wave under control.

Merkel expressed dissatisfaction that some states were choosing not to halt a gradual reopening of the economy even as the number of infections per 100,000 people over seven days had risen over 100 - a measure she and regional leaders had agreed on in early March.