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Czechs partially confined following sharp rise in infections

2021-02-26T22:01:18.564Z


The Czech government said Friday evening that it would impose on its citizens, from March 1, a ban on movement outside the departments of their places of residence, the rate of Covid-19 contamination per capita in the Czech Republic being the highest in the world. It also made it compulsory to wear masks outdoors in populated areas and in workplaces, and closed all schools, kindergartens and shops


The Czech government said Friday evening that it would impose on its citizens, from March 1, a ban on movement outside the departments of their places of residence, the rate of Covid-19 contamination per capita in the Czech Republic being the highest in the world.

It also made it compulsory to wear masks outdoors in populated areas and in workplaces, and closed all schools, kindergartens and shops selling non-essentials.

Read also: The Czech Republic reinstates a curfew, closes bars and restaurants for Christmas

People will only be allowed to leave their neighborhood to go to work, see a doctor or take care of their loved ones, but only with a document proving it.

Races will only be possible in one department, while sports and walks will only be allowed in the city of origin.

Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said the measures would remain in effect for three weeks, adding that police would carry out random checks.

“The only goal is to reverse the upward trend of new infections and intensive care patients before it is too late,”

he told reporters.

The government also declared, from February 28, a new one-month state of emergency, a legal instrument to keep the restrictions in place.

The Czech Republic is the first country in terms of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days and the second after neighboring Slovakia for deaths, according to an AFP count.

Struggling with recurring recoveries since last summer, this country of 10.7 million inhabitants has recorded 1.2 million cases and 20,000 deaths since the start of the epidemic.

The daily growth rate of infections recently hovered around 15,000 and Health Minister Jan Blatny said he expected to grow to around 20,000 soon.

The vaccinations are slower than expected.

Czech doctors have administered just over 600,000 doses, but European supplies of vaccines are slow to arrive.

The Czech government already closed three worst-affected districts earlier this month, after a curfew and restaurant closures approved last year.

On Tuesday, the health ministry said intensive care services were reaching their capacity limits and the entire healthcare system was under strain.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-02-26

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