Slovakia has been classified as a high-risk corona area in Germany since Sunday. The neighboring countries of the Czech Republic and Poland have also recorded dramatic increases in new corona infections. And in Croatia, doctors strongly criticize the government.
On Sunday, the Czech Republic reported more than 5000 new infections on a weekend day for the first time since March. The number of Covid-19 patients treated in the hospital was almost 1500, the highest since the spring. The incidence in the Czech Republic rose to 312 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days on Friday.
«Common sense dictates wearing a mask»
The Polish Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski called on his compatriots on Sunday to wear mouth and nose protection when visiting cemeteries. The PAP news agency quoted him: “There is no requirement to wear a mask outdoors, but common sense dictates this precaution for yourself and others.” The day before, his ministry had reported 9798 new infections in 24 hours, the highest value since spring.
Vice Minister of Health Waldemar Kraska admitted in a TV interview that the actual number of infections could be up to five times higher than those statistically recorded.
Positive PCR tests increased 125 percent
Slovakia, which has only 5.5 million inhabitants, reported over 4,000 new infections in one day on Sunday. The health authorities in Bratislava described the fact that the proportion of positive PCR tests had risen by 125 percent within one week as particularly dramatic. Aggressive actions by vaccine opponents cause concern. In addition to loud demonstrations in front of the private apartments of health experts, mobile vaccination buses were repeatedly attacked, whereupon ongoing vaccination campaigns had to be canceled. With only 43.5 percent of people completely vaccinated against Covid-19, Slovakia has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the EU.
Croatian doctors worried
Croatia’s Association of Hospital Doctors (HUBOL) is concerned about the threat of overload from seriously ill Covid patients. Croatia’s health system “no longer exists”, according to the Croatian media in a statement on Sunday. “The system doesn’t exist when you need relationships to get to a bed that is supplied with oxygen.”
At the same time, the association criticized the government. While “patients with Covid disease wait hours in hospital because there are no vacancies”, top government officials would deal with the issue “at the level of arrogant narcissistic adolescents”.
There are currently 1,418 corona patients in hospital treatment in Croatia, 170 of them with ventilators. According to the Johns Hopkins University, the 7-day incidence rose steeply over the past two weeks: by Sunday there were 587.9 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants. 52.6 percent of the population had full vaccination protection. (SDA)