Charité Hospital in Berlin, one of Germany's leading university hospitals, sounded the alarm on injuries this year relating to winter conditions.

In a post on X, the hospital said that among the high number of patients, many have had to have surgery. The institution added that it has deployed additional resources to handle the high amount of cases.

"The most common injuries are fractures of the arms (distal radius fractures), shoulder injuries, ankle fractures, as well as femoral neck fractures and head injuries in older people," Charité wrote on X.

Below-freezing temperatures and the debate over use of salt to de-ice pavements

The announcement by the hospital comes in the midst of a heated debate over the use of salt to de-ice pavements amid prolonged freezing temperatures that have plagued northern Germany for weeks.

While most German cities use salt for snow and ice, Berlin is one of many that have banned the practice due to the salt's harmful effects on plants and concrete.

On Friday, Berlin and Hamburg temporarily lifted the ban on the use of salt to de-ice pavements, with authorities saying the ban had been lifted due to the dangers posed by prolonged ice and snow.

"We want everyone to be able to get around the city safely – and we are thinking in particular of older people and those with limited mobility," said Hamburg transport official Anjes Tjarks.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner also warned of "extreme weather conditions with freezing rain and ongoing frost," as the capital's transport minister, Ute Bonde, announced the lifting of the ban.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar