Robert Koch Institute

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is Germany's national public health institute. As a federal agency within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Health, the RKI is responsible for disease control and prevention. It conducts research, collects and analyzes data on infectious diseases, and provides recommendations to policymakers and the public. The RKI is newsworthy due to the start of tick season in Germany. Recent reports indicate an increase in Lyme disease cases, with 918 cases reported to the RKI as of April 13th. The RKI is monitoring the spread of Lyme disease and FSME (tick-borne encephalitis) and providing information to the public about prevention measures. The RKI's data and analysis are crucial for understanding and managing public health risks associated with infectious diseases in Germany.