Czech Republic now has 32 confirmed coronavirus patients, six of them are new

Prague, March 8 (CTK) – There are 32 novel coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic and six of them were tested positively today, Health Minister Adam Vojtech told Prima Television tonight.

The course of the COVID-19 disease has been mild in all the above cases, Vojtech said. He said thar those who can be in home quarantine stay at home.

The first three cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Czech Republic on March 1. Seven new cases were confirmed on Friday and seven on Saturday.

Most of the cases, 27, are connected with Italy. They are people who were in Italy and three others who got infected from them. Five cases are related to Boston, United States.

Vojtech said this morning that 787 people have been tested so far, including nearly 200 on Saturday.

If any COVID-19 patients had serious symptoms, they would stay at emergency rooms in hospitals.

Vojtech said the infections that were confirmed today concerned a married couple that was skiing in northern Italy, two women from the Usti region who returned from Italy and one their family member, and a man from Hradec Kralove who was in contact with people who got infected in Boston.

Czech citizens in Lombardy and other northern Italian regions, which the Italian government placed under quarantine during the night, can return to their homeland. Babis called on Czechs in Italy, including those who work there, to come home. Czech tourists should return from Italy immediately, he said.

Babis also said Italy should ban its citizens from travelling to other European countries to prevent coronavirus from spreading.

Everybody who comes from Italy to the Czech Republic must report it to a doctor and stay in home quarantine for two weeks. This duty does not concern only truck drivers, drivers of medical services and aircraft pilots.

The Czech Foreign Ministry recommended that Czechs do not travel to any part of Italy as the epicentres of coronavirus have spread all over this country.

Czechia suspended air connection with Italy, China and South Korea, which have been the biggest epicentres of the outbreak until now. The issuing of Czech visas for people from Iran has been suspended.

In connection with the spread of coronavirus, President Milos Zeman today warned against panicking. He said the worst thing that could happen to the country is fear. Zeman expressed his support for the steps taken by the government in relation to coronavirus.

The Health Ministry decided that sanitary officers must report all people who were in contact with COVID-19 patients to general practitioners who will order these people to stay in home quarantine for two weeks, without without getting into contact with these people.

Vojtech said tonight he would propose to the National Security Council on Monday to ban visits in old people’s homes and hospitals.