Czech Republic reports 86 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, 7,273 total

Prague, April 25 (CTK) – Eighty-six new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the Czech Republic on Friday, this week’s second lowest daily increase after Thursday’s 55, and the total number of cases confirmed since the epidemic outbreak reached 7,273, according to the Health Ministry’s data.

The first cases of the new coronavirus infection appeared in Czechia on March. A total of 2,389 patients have recovered since, including 18 on Friday.

The number of COVID-19 patients’ deaths stands at 215, with six new deaths on Friday.

A total of 7,073 samples were tested in the country on Friday.

Thursday’s increase in the number of newly confirmed cases was the lowest since mid-March. The daily increases gradually fell in the preceding days, from Monday’s 154 to 133 on Tuesday and 99 on Wednesday. Friday was the first day this week to see the figure rise again.

Almost 6,500 samples were tested on Monday, over 8,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday each and over 7,000 on Thursday and Friday each. The record high number in this respect was on Wednesday – 8,807 tested samples.

A total of 210,705 samples have been tested since the epidemic outbreak.

The proportion of the daily number of the newly registered cases to the total of number of tested samples was 1.12 percent on Wednesday and only 0.7 percent on Thursday, but on Friday it grew to 1.22 percent.

In the first days of April, however, this proportion was still close to 5 percent.

The number of those currently ill with COVID-19 stands at 4,669.

Out of all patients, 385 stayed in hospital on Friday, compared with over 400 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Out of the hospitalised people, including 71 were in serious condition. A total of 574 people have been released from hospitals so far either as fully recovered or to home care.

Out of the 14 regions, the infection is the most widespread in Prague, where there are 1,676 patients, or 123 per 100,000 inhabitants. Central Moravian Olomouc Region follows with 107 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while the least affected region is South Bohemia with 27 per 100,000.

The death toll is also the highest, 80, in Prague, followed by Moravia-Silesia with 25 and Central Bohemia with 20 deaths.

Only one patient with COVID-19 has died in the Zlin Region in east Moravia so far.

In reaction to the favourable epidemiological development, the government has sped up its timetable of reopening shops and services. The reopening’s last wave is scheduled for May 25 instead of originally planned June 8.

Furthermore, the cabinet has since April 24 lifted some anti-virus restrictions such as the free movement and travel bans on Czechs. People can newly move in groups of up to ten, instead of maximum two. Nevertheless, they are still bound to wear face masks and keep at a distance from others.

On Thursday, a mass testing of a population sample for coronavirus was launched with the aim to show the virus’ presence in the population and help predict its further spread.