Czech President Appoints New Health Minister After Former Official Was Caught Without Mask

Czech President Appoints New Health Minister After Former Official Was Caught Without Mask

Czech President Milos Zeman appointed Jan Blatny, a specialist in pediatric hematology, as the new head of the ministry of health, on Thursday, after his predecessor had to step down over breaking anti-COVID rules

PRAGUE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) Czech President Milos Zeman appointed Jan Blatny, a specialist in pediatric hematology, as the new head of the ministry of health, on Thursday, after his predecessor had to step down over breaking anti-COVID rules.

The previous health minister, Roman Prymula, was replaced after he was photographed leaving a Prague restaurant and entering a car without wearing a face mask this past Friday.

"It is not functions or titles that are decisive now, but a sincere desire to defeat the COVID-19 epidemic. Taking on this function at such a moment is like throwing yourself into a stormy river, and amounts to political suicide," Zeman said during the appointment ceremony, as reported by the Czech tv broadcaster.

The new minister, Jan Blatny, is 50 years old, and prior to his appointment to this post, he had worked as deputy director of the university hospital in Brno in the south-east of the country. Blatny is widely known as a recognized specialist in pediatric hematology.

Since October 5, the state of emergency has been in effect in the republic. On Tuesday, the government asked parliament to extend it for another 30 days until December 3. Under the emergency regime, schools and universities, catering establishments, cultural institutions, and non-essential shops have been closed in the country, all sports events have been stopped. The use of masks is also mandatory.

On Monday, the authorities introduced a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the period from October 28 to November 3.

To date, the Czech Republic has confirmed more than 297,000 COVID-19 cases, with a death toll of 2,675.