Number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Czech Republic reaches 1,165 after 17,377 tests

Prague, March 23 (CTK) – Czechia has 1,165 cases of coronavirus infection, with 114 new cases and the death of the first patient confirmed on Sunday, while six patients have recovered so far, according to the updated information on the Health Ministry’s website.

The first patient died of COVID-19 on Sunday, three weeks after the first coronavirus cases appeared in the Czech Republic.

A total of 17,377 people have been tested in the country so far.

The first victim of coronavirus, who died in Prague’s Bulovka hospital, is a 95-year-old man who also suffered from heart and other diseases such as the chronic heart failure and chronic ischemic heart disease, and he had a pacemaker. He died of a total exhaustion of his organism, according to the doctor who cared for him since his hospitalisation at the isolation ward on March 18.

More than 70 coronavirus patients were staying in hospitals on Sunday, including some 20 at intensive care units, and about ten had to be connected to medical ventilators.

One patient in Prague’s General Teaching Hospital (VFN) requires oxygen therapy. Last week, the VFN gained a permit from the U.S. Gilead company to administer Remdesivir, an experimental medicine, to his patient, but the medicine has not yet arrived from the USA.

The number of COVID-19 patients is the highest in Prague, where it stood at 345 on Sunday evening, the day-on-day increase being 46.

Almost 1,800 people were tested for coronavirus on Sunday. National Crisis Staff head Roman Prymula said the government is planning a new system of testing that would have five coordinators and will also involve the Academy of Sciences and the Czech military. The system’s capacity is to be 1,000 tests a day, he said.

Earlier this month, the government declared the state of emergency in the country, people’s free movement has been sharply restricted and tough measures against the coronavirus spreading have been introduced, which the cabinet may further toughen at its meeting today.