A senior German health official warned on Thursday there could be a second coronavirus wave before autumn depending on people's behavior, just as the country is opening up its economy again.

Case numbers are falling but this is not an all-clear signal, Lars Schaade, Vice President of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases, said at a news conference.

The German government is easing its coronavirus lockdown measures by reopening all shops and schools, the government announced Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin following a video conference with the premiers of federal states, Chancellor Angela Merkel said they agreed on new steps toward normalization.

According to the new guidelines, Merkel said, all shops will be allowed to reopen regardless of their size, provided that they comply with physical distancing and hygiene regulations.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany stands at 166,091, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. The reported death toll rose by 123 to 7,119, the tally showed.