Czech morning news in brief: top stories for Jan. 3, 2021

The Czech COVID-19 risk index has remained at 90 points (out of 100) for the third day in a row, according to data released this morning by the Czech Health Ministry. The country has been within the fifth and highest alert level of the PES system for five days in a row. All Czech regions are within the fifth level; the worst situation is in Hradec Králové, at 94 points. Today, one of the four PES index indicators worsened, as the infection spread among senior citizens has sped up. Over the past two weeks, there were 911 new infected seniors per 100,000, about 15 more than the previous day. Conversely, the total number of new confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days has slightly dropped to 1,087. The reproduction (R) number, expressing the average number of the people who are infected by one COVID-19 positive person, has decreased slightly, from 1.45 to 1.4.

Tests confirmed 4,957 new COVID-19 cases in Czechia on Saturday, about 1,500 more than on January 1, according to the latest data from the Czech Health Ministry. 12,128 tests were conducted, while the ratio of positive results dropped to 40.9 percent from a record 52.3 percent on Friday. The COVID-19-related death toll in the Czech Republic has reached 11,960; 128 died on January 1 and 74 on Saturday so far. Out of 5,901 COVID-19 patients in Czech hospitals, 881 are in serious condition. The Friday and Saturday rises in the number of new cases were markedly lower than on the last days of 2020. On New Year's Eve, there were 13,283 new cases COVID-19 cases, and a day before, a record 17,034 cases. However, the number of tests conducted also steeply declined on January 1 and 2. On December 31, almost 28,000 tests were made, and on December 30, more than 35,000.

The year 2021 starts dismally, as the Czech Republic has not yet managed to curb the coronavirus epidemic, but the vaccine has brought hope, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) said in his New Year address broadcast on the main TV stations Friday night. The pandemic has shown how vulnerable people are despite modern technologies and that normal life cannot be taken for granted, but it has also proven human solidarity, he added. Babiš said he can see a flash of hope in the vaccine against COVID-19, but the path to the sufficient vaccination coverage rate would be long, so people should stay alert. Czechia will make up for the financial losses caused by coronavirus epidemic, but the lost lives are irreplaceable, he said. His government had to react fast and made mistakes, but it also learnt a lesson from them, he added. In his ten-minute speech, Babiš also apologised to small business owners and tradesmen for closing their businesses within the lockdown measures.

Opposition parties have praised PM Andrej Babiš's New Year address for admitting mistakes during the COVID-19 epidemic and thanking citizens, but criticized it for lacking any future plan and not condemning disinformation, representatives have tweeted or told CTK. "It is positive that the prime minister was not accusing or blaming anyone this time, but that he mentioned the impacts on the citizens," Civic Democrat (ODS) chairman Petr Fiala tweeted. "It was suitable to use a non-confrontational tone and thank people. However, it lacked a clear plan and outlook for the government steps to be taken this year to overcome the pandemic consequences."

British authorities have received 48,840 applications for residency from Czech citizens in the UK, according to the statistical data from late-November. Authorities have processed 46,410 of the applications, granting settled status to 31,240 people and pre-settled status to 13,560. 960 applications were invalid, 440 were withdrawn and 210 rejected. Since January 1, British citizens have the status of third country nationals in the Czech Republic, and vice versa. There will be a new point immigration system valid for the EU countries' citizens in the UK, in which foreigners will receive points for specific skills and qualifications. A condition for registration in the system is a valid ID. Czechs in the UK can turn to the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London and the general consulate in Manchester to process documents they need for the registration or seek consular aid. Czechs staying in the UK long-term who do not obtain residency by July 1, 2021, will be staying in the UK illegally as a third country national.

One woman has died and another four people, including one firefighter, were injured in a fire in a Kutná Hora hostel on Friday evening, report regional fire corps and emergency service spokeswomen Tereza Fliegerova and Petra Effenbergerova. There were around 40 people in the burning building and firefighters evacuated a half of them. The cause of the fire is being investigated. The damage incurred is estimated at ten million crowns. A woman, born in 1941, was found dead in the building. One of the injured had a burnt arm and was transported to the Prague-Vinohrady Teaching Hospital. The other three suffered light injuries. Firefighters managed to get the blaze under control at around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday.

The supplier of the construction of the Czech pavilion at the Expo 2020 World Exhibition in Dubai was replaced last autumn due to repeated violations of their contractual commitments, according to a Czech Foreign Ministry report. The Expo 2020 wad postponed due the coronavirus pandemic and will take place from October 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022. Despite the pandemic and the replacement of their supplier, preparations for the Czech Republic's participation in the Expo 2020 will continue under the approved plan. The Czech exhibition will be divided into a permanent part installed in a garden, and the pavilion and a rotating part to be changed every other week. "The display will mainly focus on science, research, innovative technologies and modern design," the Ministry said. The Solar Air Water Earth Resource (S.A.W.E.R.) device developed by the Czech Technical University (CVUT) and capable of autonomous water acquisition from air will be the core of the national exhibition. S.A.W.E.R. is to have the capacity of 100 litres of water per day.