Number of confirmed coronavirus patients in Czech Republic rises to 253, up from morning's 214

Prague, March 15 (CTK) – Czechia had 253 confirmed coronavirus cases by 18:00 today, compared with 214 this morning, according to the data the Health Ministry released online.

The number of the COVID-19 patients is the highest, 96, in Prague, followed by the regions of Olomouc with 31 cases, Central Bohemia with 28 and Usti with 18.

No one died of coronavirus in the country so far, but the condition of two patients is serious.

Both these patients are taxi drivers. One was admitted to Prague’s General Teaching Hospital recently and is connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass.

The other has been staying in Prague’s Bulovka hospital since the beginning of this week, and is connected to a ventilator.

In the case of most other patients the course of the disease is mild, Health Minister Adam Vojtech (for ANO) said earlier today.

There is another medical worker, a doctor from the outpatient medical centre in Strakonice, south Bohemia, among the new cases.

Two infected doctors were reported in the hospitals in Olomouc, central Moravia, and Breclav, south Moravia, on Saturday.

According to the information on the ministry’s website, two fifths of the patients got infected abroad, less than one quarter in Czechia and in 36 percent of the cases the place of the infection could not be identified.

On Thursday, the government declared a 30-day state of emergency over the epidemic, with cultural, sports and other events being cancelled. Since Saturday morning, shops, with some exceptions such as food stores and pharmacies, have remained closed as have all restaurants and bars.

As of Monday, foreigners will be banned from entering the Czech Republic, with some exceptions, and Czechs will be banned from leaving the country.