Czech weekend news in brief: top stories for March 21, 2021

Pilgrimage to honor St. Ludmila on anniversary of martyrdom

A 480-km-long pilgrimage in honor of St. Ludmila will start in Velehrad on May 5 and end in Tetín near Prague on September 18, pilgrimage promoter Petr Hirsch has told CTK. 2021 marks 1100 years since St. Ludmila's death. The project includes a number of events to mark the martyrdom of St. Ludmila, who raised her grandson Wenceslas, a future prince and martyr who is the saint patron of Bohemia.

It was at the Tetín castle where Ludmila, who adopted Christianity with her husband Borivoj, the first Přemyslid Prince of Bohemia, was murdered by the order of her pagan daughter-in-law in 921. Because of Borivoj and Ludmila, the Czech statehood embarked on a path towards European Christianity, according to Miroslava Janičatová, director of the St. Ludmila 1100 Years project.

Czech Republic COVID-19 R number drops to lowest level in two months

There were 5,443 new COVID-19 cases reported on Saturday, about 1,500 fewer than a week ago, data from the Czech Health Ministry released on Sunday morning shows. In addition, the R number (reproduction number) has fallen to the lowest level over the past two months. Hospitals remain overburdened, however. The total COVID-19 death toll has reached 24,667 since March 2020. The country has seen a total of 1,469,547 coronavirus cases. More than 1,253,000 patients have recovered and about 232,400 are currently ill.

The daily numbers of new confirmed COVID-19 cases, compared with the situation a week ago, have steadily been falling since Tuesday. The largest week-on-week fall was on Friday, when 5,300 fewer new cases were reported than on previous Friday. The R number, which shows the average number of those infected by one COVID-19-positive person, dropped from Saturday's 0.87 to 0.85 on Sunday. The last time it was this low was on January 21.

Former Czech president Václav Klaus calls for parties to unite, labels Pirates far left

Ex-president Václav Klaus, unsatisfied with the situation in the Czech Republic including COVID-19 restrictions, has issued a statement calling on parties that promote civic freedoms to unite in the October elections. He has warned against the Pirate party, which he labels radical left.

Calling for an alliance of parties that promote civic freedoms, Klaus mentioned the opposition Freedom and Direct Democracy party led by Tomio Okamura as well as Tricolour party, a movement established and led by his son, Václav Klaus Jr. The elder Klaus blames the current situation in the Czech Republic on the minority cabinet of ANO and the Social Democrats, which has been kept afloat by the Communist party.

Public health officers criticize Health Minister for firing chief health officer

Nine directors of regional public health offices show their support for fired chief public health officer Jarmila Rážová, and they criticised Health Minister Jan Blatný for not giving any reason for her dismissal, Seznam Zpravy writes. Blatný fired Razova as of March 14, and the government approved his proposal on Monday. Blatný previously refused to say why she had to leave her post.

In a letter sent to Blatný a few days ago, the regional public health officers rejected the view that Rážová was not active enough. Referring to the law on public service, they say a dismissal of a public official must be justified by a serious mistake or other failure or violation. There was no reason to sack Rážová, they say.

Czech Republic has enough COVID-19 medicine for three months, says Health Minister

The Czech Republic will receive 12,000 doses of the antibody COVID-19 medicine from Regeneron, Health Minister Jan Blatný has told journalists. The Regeneron shipment will be sent from Switzerland on Sunday.

The Czech Republic also has 3,000 doses of bamlanivimab, a similar medicine from Eli Lilly. Together with Regeneron, the country's stock of these types of medicines will be enough for three months, Blatný said. Citing the Health Ministry, Denik N writes that the Czech Republic will not buy more bamlanivimab as it is less effective than Regeneron.

Brno flower census expected to confirm world rarity

A planned census of rare greater pasque flowers in Brno's Stone Hill nature reserve is expected to confirm the locality's world-unique character, according to Vilém Jurek from the Rezekvítek environmental group. Up to 60,000 rare pasque flower tufts grow there, says Jurek.

Volunteers have been patrolling the reserve to protect the flowers, whose blossoming has just started and is expected to peak in early April. The reservation is visited by Brno residents more often now that the country has banned the movement of people between districts amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jurek said.