Czech Republic coronavirus updates, July 29: 260 new cases Tuesday, with growing number of cases in Prague

The Czech Republic had one of its largest increases in daily new coronavirus cases on Tuesday when 260 new cases were recorded, according to the latest statistics posted by the Czech Health Ministry this morning.

Authorities performed 6,164 tests on Tuesday, according to the latest data. Across the country, 4,055 remain infected with coronavirus, 108 of which have been hospitalized. There have been 373 deaths due to COVID-19.

Yesterday, Czech Health Ministry revised the number of COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized from 150 to 108, a significant decrease.

Czech officials announced on Tuesday that the country’s hospitals will increase their capacity of daily COVID-19 tests fourfold, to around 30,000 daily, by end of September.

A portion of those new cases last week were traced back to a party in Prague 2 that has resulted in more than 100 COVID-19 infections. Prague hygienists reported more than 100 newly infected cases on Tuesday, one of the highest numbers since the pandemic began.

That number is still exceeded by two regions with a growing number of cases: Jihlava in the Vysočina Region, the site of the largest outbreak at the moment, and the Prachatice district, an area where a growing number of people continue to test positive for COVID-19.

Jihlava, in the Vysočina Region, has reported about 59 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the past week, while Prachatice in South Bohemia has reported 49 new cases per 100,000 residents.

Due to the increase in cases, Vysočina has re-introduce the requirement to wear a face mask in medical facilities and pharmacies starting today.

The Moravian-Silesian region, once the site of the largest Czech outbreak, has begun to report fewer and fewer cases. Karviná reported 26 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents Tuesday, a sharp decrease from their previously high numbers, while neighboring Frýdek-Místek has reported 31 new cases per 100,000 residents. Those Moravian-Silesian districts are no longer the most affected in the Czech Republic over the past week.

Starting this week, it became mandatory for people to wear face masks at events with more than 100 people. The country also lowered the maximum number of attendees allowed at events from 1,000 people to 500 people.