Czech Republic reports 2,415 new coronavirus cases

On Sunday, there were 2,415 new COVID-19 cases in the Czech Republic. It is 157 less than a week ago, in the previous days of the week they increased. On Sunday, however, there are fewer tests and, compared to the last Sunday, the laboratories performed fewer tests. There were about 30 people in hospitals on Sunday with covid, and there are 5,473 of them. 986 patients are in serious condition, 11 less than on Saturday.

One month ago, the number of hospitalizations was 2,000 higher, and a week ago, on Monday, there were more than 6,000 patients with covid in hospitals, 500 more than now. However, according to the Ministry of Health, hospitals are on the verge of their capacity. According to the government, hospitals’ occupancy is now the primary indicator for determining measures against the spread of the disease.

However, the statistics do not include patients who do not show coronavirus symptoms after ten days and are listed as negative but remain in hospitals, sometimes for weeks to months. However, according to data from the Ministry of Health monitoring inpatient care capacities, 19 percent of all beds in ARO and ICU units are now vacant throughout the country, namely 757 beds, of which 221 are reserved for covid patients.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 1.037 million people have been infected with covid-19 in the Czech Republic, over 922,000 have been cured, and 17,333 people who have been diagnosed with covid-19 have died. Currently, more than 97,000 people are affected by the infection. On Sunday, laboratories performed nearly 7,400 PCR tests on covid-19 and more than 12,700 antigen tests. On weekdays, PCR and antigen tests are around 30,000. The share of confirmed cases in the number of tests performed fell from more than 32 percent to 27.69 percent.

The number of deaths with covid at the end of last week exceeded 17,000. About a week was enough to overcome the previous thousand victims. Recently, 110 to 130 infected people die every day. So far, the ministry registers 97 of them on Saturday and 53 on Sunday, but it usually increases the numbers in retrospect.

The disease is now the most widespread in the Trutnov region, with more than 1,295 covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days, followed by the Sokolovsko region with 1,225 Cheb region with 1,221 cases in the last week per 100,000 inhabitants. At the opposite end of the scale is the Jeseník district, where they recorded 142 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous week.

It has been vaccinated against coronavirus in the Czech Republic since 27 December. So far, the vaccine is mainly given to health professionals, workers, and clients of social facilities and seniors over 80. Paramedics gave almost 350,000 doses of the vaccine by Sunday night, and more than 93,000 people received both needed doses, according to the ministry’s website. Of these, 2,624 doses were given on Sunday, while on weekdays, it was many times more. Over 1,800 people completed the vaccination on Sunday. The largest number of vaccinations last week was Thursday, which accounts for 16,911 doses.

In the Czech Republic, vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna are currently being vaccinated. The first delivery of the vaccine from AstraZeneca also arrived in the country on Saturday, distribution to vaccination centers will begin today.

Today, the PES index remained at 71 points out of a hundred for the fifth day and has been in the fourth risk level since mid-January. However, the measures in the Czech Republic correspond to the fifth, strictest level of risk. Today, the government could deal with a possible tightening of restrictions, according to the Minister of Health Jan Blatný, the measures ceased to work. On Friday, he mentioned possible travel restrictions between regions, but Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is not in favor. Today, the government will also discuss a request to the Chamber of Deputies for a further extension of the emergency state, which will otherwise end on Sunday, 14 February.