Czech weekend news in brief: Top stories for October 31, 2021

Rate of new Covid-19 cases continues to rise

The Czech Republic reported 5,057 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, 2,300 more than a week ago and the highest Saturday figure since March 20. There are now 1,417 patients being treated in Czech hospitals, and 192 of them are in serious condition, according to data provided by the Czech Health Ministry.

The incidence rate in the Czech Republic is now 312 cases per 100,000 people over the past week, up from 290 yesterday. The situation is currently the worst in north Moravia and Silesia. The Olomouc and Moravia-Silesia regions report 438 and 434 new cases per 100,000 people over the past week, respectively, while the South Moravia Region follows with 408 cases per 100,000 people.

Fire at makeshift homeless shelter in Prague claims one life

A fire at a makeshift homeless shelter under Prague's Libeň Bridge has claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman and injured another person, spokesperson for Prague firefighters Martin Kavka confirmed on Saturday. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The professional fire brigade from Holešovice was called in shortly after midnight on Saturday.

"The flames were extinguished by one water jet very quickly," Kavka said. At the scene of the fire, rescuers found a woman who could not be helped. Details concerning the injured person were not provided, but their injuries may not have required medical treatment. On Saturday morning, investigators returned to the scene of accident for further inquiry.

Festival of French culture to be held in Plzeň

After last year's festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Plzeň will host the Bonjour Plzeň traditional autumn festival of French culture once again this year. Hosted by the Alliance Française Plzeň, the festival will take place from November 5 to 20, 2021, alliance director Remy Fournier has told CTK.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy French films, photo exhibitions, traditional meals, the iconic young wine Beaujolais Nouveau, and music from the Brittany region. "My favorite part of the program is the French market on November 14, because it is a good occasion to introduce local people to French skills and products. I am looking forward to the literary meetings, too, because they symbolize the mutual sharing between the Czech and French nations through writing," Fournier said.

Czech prosecutors deal with increase in cases of spreading infectious disease

The Czech Prosecutor General’s Office dealt with 61 cases of people deliberately spreading an infectious disease over the first nine months of 2021, while from January to September 2020 it had dealt only with eight such cases, iDnes.cz has reported this weekend. The office dealt with 23 cases of people spreading an infectious disease out of neglect from January to September 2021, while in the same period last year it had dealt only with three cases.

The statistics do not reveal what kind of infectious disease was spread, but it can be assumed that it was Covid-19, writes iDnes. If people do not quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus, it is considered crime that can be punished with up to three years in prison.

Replica of rotunda from Great Moravian Empire built in Austria

Experimental archaeologists have used tools, methods, and materials from the Early Middle Ages to build a replica of a rotunda originally from the Břeclav area in south Moravia at the times of the Great Moravian Empire. The structure was inaugurated in Lower Austria on Saturday.

The rotunda is located at the MAMUZ Archaeological Park, where experts have been building it since the spring. It is a tiny white structure with a red roof. In addition to the rotunda, the tools used in its construction are also on display. Archaeologists discovered the original rotunda at a large fortified settlement Pohansko near Břeclav in 2006. It was a unique and unexpected finding. The structure was made of wood, which is typical for the Great Moravia buildings, but more prestigious stone was also used.