Sudden surge in the COVID cases in Central Europe
In Central Europe, the Covid-19 pandemic has progressed in several countries that are now struggling to cope with high numbers of cases and overcrowding at hospitals. In the Czech Republic, the number of patients in intensive care has reached a new high, prompting the country to send its first patient abroad for treatment in Poland. Hungary’s number of cases in the current wave has passed its previous high that occurred in December. Most non-essential businesses, schools, and services were closed on Monday due to the rising number of infections.
Authorities in central Europe warned on Friday that they are seeing a surge in coronavirus cases across their region amid the discovery of new variants. The Polish health minister, Adam Niedzielski, said the first case of a variant first found in South Africa had been discovered in Poland, and that some 10% of all cases now involve the variant that emerged in England. “We are entering a crisis again. It is up to us where the peak of this third wave will be” Niedzielski said. “Responsible behaviour is key
Meanwhile, the number of cases in the current wave has surpassed the previous peak in December. The Czech Republic, one of the hardest-hit countries in the 27-member European Union, moved Friday to further tighten restriction. Czech Republic warns health service may require help from EU states as deaths surge in Slovakia. Czech authorities on Tuesday sent the first patient abroad for treatment in Poland as facilities struggled to cope.
“We are clearly in the ascending phase of the third wave,” Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller told an online press briefing FridayThe central European region saw very few infections when the virus first arrived in Europe a year ago, only to see a huge spike in infections and deaths in the fall of 2020.
In the Czech Republic, the three hardest-hit counties, on the border with Germany and Poland, are under a complete lockdown. The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days there is around 1,000.
Some Czech hospitals have been in a critical situation and have to transport COVID-19 patients to other clinics across the country. The number of patients needing intensive care was at a record high of over 1,200 this week. Only 14% of all ICU beds remain still available. Officials in Germany are also warning that a recent decline in infections could be reversing.
Poland is also experiencing another wave of Covid-19 cases, as the government has reported its highest number of daily cases since late November on Wednesday, totalling 17,260 new infections. A health ministry spokesman reported increased flexibility among Poles towards anti-Covid measures such as social distancing and refraining from gathering in large groups. Restrictions were relaxed last month, but have since been reinstated in some areas.
The country has recorded more than 1.09 million cases since the beginning of the pandemic and deplored the loss of 18,250 people. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the seven-day incidence rate stood at more than 968 cases per 100,000 inhabitants In the week ending February 7.
By Karishma Gwalani
