BioNTech a hallmark of Germany: Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday underlined the special role of vaccine developer BioNTech in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it a "hallmark" of the country, reported Xinhua.

The company provided a "way out of the pandemic through decades of research," Merkel said during her visit to the company, adding "we really have to invest in science, in research, in innovation as well."

BioNTech has seen 36.75 million doses of its vaccine administered in Germany, a large chunk of the total vaccines used in the country. As of Thursday, more than 48.4 million people in Germany were fully vaccinated, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 58.2 percent, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the federal government agency for disease control and prevention.

Most recently, however, daily COVID-19 infections have been rising again as the country is bracing for the fourth wave. A total of 8,400 new cases were registered on Thursday, 2,762 more than a week ago, the RKI noted.

Unlike many countries around the world, Germany was "in the exceptional position" of having enough COVID-19 vaccine doses now, Merkel said, urging all those unvaccinated to get the jab. "The world is affected and we can do our part from Germany," she said.