Czech Republic coronavirus updates, Dec. 4: rising COVID-19 cases, teachers to get free COVID-19 tests

The number of new COVID-19 cases in the Czech Republic continues to rise ever so slightly, and the country reported more cases this week than the previous week, according to data from the Czech Health Ministry.

The Czech Republic reported 4,624 new cases on Thursday, one of the highest daily increases in the past seven days. On Wednesday, the country reported 4,562 new cases.

However, the Czech Republic continues to conduct fewer and fewer tests, especially on weekends. On Wednesday, the country conducted 20,525 tests, fewer tests than the previous week and far less than the usual number of tests performed during the weeks when the country experienced the peak of the second wave. The number of tests performed on Wednesday will be revealed tomorrow.

The daily positivity rate remains high as well: on Wednesday, 22 percent of those who were tested for COVID-19 in the country tested positive.

Starting today until Dec. 18, teachers across the Czech Republic can receive a free COVID-19 test in hospitals and medical facilities. According to a report in Seznam Zpravy, if everyone were tested, that would be about 170,000 people, according to the Ministry of Education. The chairman of the Association of Primary School Principals Michal Černý predicts a third of teachers may take the tests.

Since March, the Czech Republic has reported a total of 537,663 COVID-19 cases, the majority of which were reported in September and October. Of those, there have been 468,302 recoveries, with 60,720 known active cases.

The number of patients in hospitals has been steadily decreasing as well. There are currently 4,544 COVID-19 patients in Czech hospitals, with 586 of those in serious condition.

The most-affected region in the Czech Republic over the past two weeks by far continues to be Havlíčkův Brod, which has reported about 485 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week.

The Czech Republic is no longer the most affected state in the EU; the country now ranks far below countries like Austria, Poland and Croatia, with about 542 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Luxembourg has the worst COVID-19 situation in the EU right now with more than 1,200 cases per 100,000 in the past 14 days; Croatia is not far behind.

Czech MEPs will likely approve rules for the purchase and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines; they will also discuss the governing of the work of medical students in hospitals.

The Chamber of Deputies will also discuss possible assistance of police officers in prisons in the event of a staff crisis, according to Seznam Zpravy.

At present, the drafted law on the coronavirus vaccine will allow public health insurance to pay for the vaccination of residents in full.