As the number of coronavirus infections in Germany climbs, authorities are considering implementing a hard national lockdown by Wednesday, according to local media reports. 

The federal government could require shops, schools and day care centers to be closed from Wednesday, according to the Bild newspaper. There is still uncertainty over whether the heads of all of the federal states will cooperate, however. 

The news comes ahead of a meeting between state and federal leaders on Sunday, to decide which course of action to take. 

Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for stronger restrictions, ahead of Sunday's discussion. "We must now, in the next few days, make very far-reaching, very drastic decisions," Scholz said in Berlin on Saturday. The priority is "that we now help to reduce contacts. Therefore, Germany must again accept many restrictions."

He also called for a swift closure of retail and other non-essential services. "This has to happen very quickly now," he said.

The measures taken in the spring  helped reduce the incidence of infection, "but the virus is back," he said. The important thing now, he said, is to "act quickly and decisively," as it's "the only way to ensure that the virus can be controlled."

States implement hard lockdown

Some German states have already prescribed heavy lockdown rules, with curfews implemented in Bavaria, Saxony and Baden-Württemberg.  

Baden-Württemberg State Premier Winfried Kretschmann  on Friday announced a nighttime curfew, and strict limits on movement during the day. Between the hours of 8 pm and 5 am, people are only able to leave their homes with a "good reason," such as going to work. The measures are set to be in place for four weeks. 

Kretschmann, along with other leaders, has also called for a nationwide lockdown until January 10.

Also on Friday, Saxony announced a hard lockdown, with schools, daycares and retail shops closed from Monday.  Additionally, residents must adhere to a curfew between 10pm and 6am. 

The southern state of Bavaria, which has been one of the most heavily hit by the virus, was placed under a strict lockdown last week. Residents there are subject to a curfew from 9pm, as well as school and retail closures.

The state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, has also called for a hard lockdown ahead of Christmas. 

Spike in cases

Germany has been under a partial lockdown for the past six weeks, with bars, restaurants and other meeting points closed. However, the current measures have failed to sufficiently stem the rising rate  of infection in the country. 

On Saturday, Germany's Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases reported 28,438 new infections and 496 fatalities. That number is slightly less than Friday's record of 29,875 cases. The country's intensive care unit capacity is also at a critical level, and doctors have warned that only five to 10% of intensive care beds are available in some parts of the country.