PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic reported 10,273 new COVID-19 cases on Monday as it faces one of Europe’s biggest surges in infections, according to health ministry data,.
The rise is the seventh highest daily tally for the country of 10.7 million people, where the number of cases has jumped past 10,000 since the middle of October. In the past week, the daily number of cases has averaged more than 12,000.
The country has shown Europe’s fastest infection rates over the past two weeks, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data, with 1,324 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in that time.
The Health Ministry reported 164 new deaths on Tuesday, including 75 on Monday and revisions to previous days. The total death toll is 2,365 and has roughly doubled since Oct. 13
Facing growing strain on hospitals, the government is set to implement a 9 p.m. curfew and limit retail hours from Wednesday as it tightens measures curb the virus’s spread. It has already shut bars, restaurants, most retail outlets, theatres and sport and fitness venues. [nL1N2HH2H5]
In total, the Czech Republic has registered 268,370 cases of the novel coronavirus, with the tally more than doubling in the past two weeks.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
