Czech weekend news in brief: top stories for July 4, 2021

More than 100 cases of Delta variant detected in Czech Republic

Laboratories have confirmed 126 cases of the Delta coronavirus variant in the Czech Republic, National Health Institute spokesperson Štěpánka Čechová has told journalists. Over the past week, another six cases were added, four in south Moravia and two in Prague. A single case of the Lambda variant, dominant in Peru, has been identified in the Czech Republic.

The Delta variant, previously called the Indian variant, is more infectious than both the common virus and the Alfa (aka British) variant. "Detection of the Delta variant is slightly increasing in the Czech Republic, though one cannot yet observe any clear upward trend," says Helena Jiřincová from the National Reference Laboratory for Flu and Respiration Viral Diseases at the State Health Institute.

Ninety percent of areas in South Moravian villages hit by tornado have been cleaned

About 90 percent of the territory of the villages hit by the tornado in southeast Moravia on June 25 has been cleaned from rubble, beams, remains of trees and other waste, firefighters said on Saturday. Demolition of houses damaged beyond repair continues in the villages of Lužice and Hrušky, and controlled demolitions will also begin in Moravská Nová Ves and Mikulčice.

South Moravia firefighting corps head Jiří Pelikán said more than 180 houses will have to be pulled down. He told Czech Television that locals demolished more than one third of the houses themselves. The remaining 120 houses will be pulled down over the next two weeks. On Sunday, two more family houses in Hrušky will be demolished.

Battle of Königgrätz re-enacted near Hradec Kralove

The Battle of Königgrätz that was fought between Austrian and Prussian soldiers in 1866 was re-enacted on the battlefield in Chlum on Saturday, and roughly 1,500 people came to see it, according to one of the organisers of the event, Pavel Urban. The re-creation commemorated one of the largest battles in Europe in the 19th century.

This year, members of military clubs re-enacted part of the battle with crown prince Albert of Saxony. "Enough people came. we were glad that we found a place to do it despite all the measures," Urban said, referring to the restrictions introduced in the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.

Czech President thanks Austria, Slovakia, Pope Francis for solidarity with South Moravia

Czech President Miloš Zeman sent letters of gratitude to Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, and Pope Francis for their solidarity in connection with a tornado that recently swept South Moravia, according to the website of Prague Castle.

Zeman thanked Čaputová for her solidarity with Czech citizens affected by the tornado. "Many of them lost their close family members, dozens of people have been injured, and even more of them lost roofs over their heads," he wrote. He appreciated the great wave of solidarity and financial aid that Slovakia promptly provided, but also the work of Slovak rescuers who helped in the rescue mission.

Czech carrier Smartwings launches new service from Prague to Nice

Czech air carrier Smartwings has added new destination, now offering a route between Prague and Nice, France. The scheduled service to/from Nice is operated twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays. Flights can be booked on the website of Smartwings or Czech Airlines.

Throughout the summer season, Smartwings now offers flights from Czech airports to 76 destinations in Greece, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, UAE, Cape Verde, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Malta, Ukraine, and Iceland.