Czech Republic coronavirus updates, Nov. 20: New cases slow, number of patients in ICUs drop below 1,000

According to the latest figures from the Czech Health Ministry, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients increased by 233 in the country to 6,555, with the death toll rising to 6,874.

Daily increases in the number of coronavirus infections in the Czech Republic have been declining for two weeks in a row. While at the end of October, beginning of November, they reached approximately 15,000 cases per day, this week they are around 4,000 to 6,500 per day. There have been fewer tests performed, but the share of positive cases in those tests has also decreased.

Since the pandemic outbreak in the country in March, 481,755 people have tested positive for the disease, more than 379,380 of whom have recovered. There are 95,501 active cases as of yesterday. Most of the infected have only mild symptoms of the disease.

The number of patients hospitalized with Covid-19 is now the lowest since late October. For the first time since then, those in serious condition dropped under 1,000, to 919.

However, the number of Covid-19-related deaths continues to rise. Since mid-October the daily number of deaths has been in the triple-digits.

Testing facilities conducted 22,275 coronavirus tests on Wednesday, up nearly 5,000 from the day before. The share of positive tests rose to just over 28 percent the same day, bringing the seven-day average to 27 percent.

The worst epidemic situation in the Czech Republic remains in Havlíčkův Brod. Hygienists there have recorded 623 infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the past seven days. The Chrudim, Svitavy and Jičín regions also have a high number. On the contrary, Cheb and Prague are the best, with less than 150 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 population in the past week.

Health Minister Jan Blatný is to propose a relaxation of the anti-COVID measures to the cabinet today. The Czech Republic should switch to the fourth level of the anti-pandemic PES system effective Monday. Until now, the level has been at the highest fifth level. The downgrade to a lower level would allow up to six people to gather instead of two, and the night curfew could would begin at 23:00 instead of 21:00. The return of other pupils and students to schools is also linked to the approval of the transfer to the fourth level of risk. First and second graders returned to school on Wednesday, others will head back November 25 and 30.

Last night, the government extended the state of emergency until December 12. The state of emergency in the Czech Republic has been in effect since October 5.