Czech Republic Ranks 2nd in EU in Terms of New COVID-19 Cases Per 100,000 - EU Agency

PRAGUE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2020) The Czech Republic currently ranks second among the EU countries after Spain in terms of the 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, and on Monday this indicator totaled 198, according to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

According to the ECDC, on Monday, the Czech Republic replaced France in terms of this indicator, where the 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people currently stands at 192.5. In Spain, this figure is now at 300.5.

The next positions after France are occupied by Luxembourg (147.9), Malta (120.4), Belgium (116.1), the Netherlands (109.8), Hungary (107.2) and Austria (105.7).

The authorities of many countries use this indicator when issuing recommendations for foreign trips of their citizens, as well as when making decisions on border control.

According to the Czech Health Ministry, a total of 49,290 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the country since the start of the pandemic. As many as 24,755 patients have recovered, while 503 patients died of the disease. There are currently 24,032 active cases in the country, with 503 patients currently in hospitals.

Earlier in the day, Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech resigned after the opposition and media criticism over the surge in new cases. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis nominated Roman Prymula, a top epidemiologist, to become the new health minister.

In late May, the Czech government lifted almost all restrictions imposed during the first wave of the pandemic, and in recent weeks, the rate of new coronavirus cases has grown at the second-fastest rate in Europe.