Germany will offer returning holidaymakers free coronavirus tests as part of efforts to prevent a new wave of Covid-19 infection, authorities said on Friday, as the country recorded its highest number of daily cases for two months.

Arrivals from countries designated as high-risk will be eligible for immediate tests, while arrivals from other places will be able to get tested within three days.

Germany has designated 130 countries as high-risk, including Turkey, Egypt and the United States. Arrivals from anywhere on that list who cannot show a negative test result are already required to go into quarantine for 14 days.

People entering Germany from risk countries by road, train and bus will be subject to random spot tests near the border, as reported by Reuters.

Authorities said they will cover the cost of the tests in the first instance and are instructing airport operators to set up testing facilities. In future, costs should be passed on to holidaymakers via ticket prices.

The number of new confirmed cases increased sharply on Friday to 815, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed, the biggest tally since mid-May.