On February 29, 2020, the first case of the coronavirus was reported in the Czech Republic. As of April 8, the count has risen to over 5,000 confirmed cases with 181 recovered and 91 deaths. The government-mandated containment measures continue to evolve daily as the country and its inhabitants remain in a holding pattern with schools and non-essential business closed for the time being (a relaxing of some of the restrictions was announced yesterday).
Here are the important dates, fast facts, and statistics, related to the spread of the coronavirus in the Czech Republic, which results in the illness called COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. Some important global dates and figures have been included for context:
DECEMBER 2019
- An outbreak of the novel virus reported in Wuhan, China
- Chinese inform WHO on December 31, 2019
JANUARY 2020
January 7
- Wuhan identities virus as a strain of coronavirus
January 11
- The first death in China
January 13
- First case outside China, in Thailand
January 21
- First US case – Washington State
January 23
- Wuhan under quarantine, Hubei follows a few days later
January 30 – Czech Republic
January 31
- The US bans foreigners if they’ve been to China
FEBRUARY 2020
February 2
- First death outside China, in the Philippines
February 9 – Czech Republic
February 1
- WHO names new coronavirus strain COVID-19
February 12
- Cases rise sharply in South Korea
February 19
- An outbreak in Iran reported
February 21
- An outbreak in Italy reported
February 26
- The virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica
Friday, February 28 – Czech Republic
- 170 suspected cases test negative, 307 people in home quarantine, 77 of whom are in South Bohemia
Saturday, February 29
- First American death in the US, state of Washington declares state of emergency
- The Czech Republic – First confirmed case, treated at Bulovka in Prague
MARCH 2020
Sunday, March 1 – Czech Republic
- 211 tested in total to date since January 27
Monday, March 2 – Czech Republic
- 3 more cases confirmed, 4 total, 262 tested (+51)
Tuesday, March 3 – Czech Republic
Wednesday, March 4 – Czech Republic
- Export of all FFP3 respirators banned
- Event organizers must report gatherings of 5,000 or more
- 3 more cases, a total of 8 confirmed, 407 tested (+67)
Thursday, March 5 – Czech Republic
- Flights to/from all of Italy, South Korea and Iran suspended
- Export of hand sanitizers banned
- 4 more cases, 12 confirmed total, 483 people tested (+76)
Friday, March 6 – Czech Republic
- 1,011 people in home quarantine
- 594 tested (+111)
Saturday, March 7 – Czech Republic
- Worldwide infections over 10,000, with 3,400 deaths
- Mandatory 2-week quarantine for people coming from Italy includes citizens and people with residency – 3 million CZK fine for non-compliance (€110,000, $120,880)
- Train and truck drivers, ambulance drivers and pilots exempt
- Visa requests to/from Iran suspended
- 26 confirmed cases, 787 tested (+193)
Sunday, March 8
- The entire country of Italy goes into lockdown
- Czech Republic – anyone in contact with a confirmed COVID patient must self-quarantine for 14 days – fine in place
- 928 tested (+141)
Monday, March 9 – Czech Republic
- Visits to hospitals and retirement homes banned with a few exceptions
- Random medical checks at 11 border crossings and airports, drivers given info pamphlets in Czech, German, English, and Italian
- 1193 tested (+265)
Tuesday, March 10 – Czech Republic
- Public events over 100 banned
- People coming to the Czech Republic from a list of countries must self-quarantine for 14 days – fine in place
- All people crossing the border must submit to medical checks
- 61 confirmed cases in the country, 1358 tested (+165)
Wednesday, March 11
- WHO declares a global pandemic
- US bans travel from 26 countries in Europe for 30 days
- CZ – Primary and secondary schools, and universities closed
- Kindergartens and preschools still open
- CZ – First case in critical condition, 91 confirmed cases, 1816 tested (+458)
Thursday, March 12 – Czech Republic
- State of emergency declared for 30 days as of midnight
- Pubs and restaurants closed from 8 pm-6 am
- Restaurants and shopping centers over 5,000 sq. m closed
- Sports facilities closed
- No gatherings of more than 30 people
- Foreigners from high-risk countries banned from entering, Czechs banned from going
- Income tax deadline (normally March 31) extended to July 1
- Loan payments suspended
- 116 confirmed cases (+25), now in all regions (50 in Prague), 2,353 tested (+537)
Friday, March 13 – Czech Republic
- The US declares a national emergency
- Term “social distancing” begins to be used worldwide
- 14-day self-quarantine country list expanded
- Fitness center, sports facilities, libraries, social clubs, entertainment venues, galleries, museums all closed
- Sunday driving ban lifted for trucks
- Willfully spreading COVID-19 is a felony, with up to 10 years in prison for criminal negligence
- 141 confirmed cases (+25), 3,094 tested (+741)
Saturday, March 14 – Czech Republic
- Restaurants and pubs ordered closed as of 6h, through March 24; walk up and delivery permitted
- Food delivery services begin offering contactless delivery
- CLOSED: Tourist info centers, swimming pools, casinos, marketplaces
- All public events canceled
- Vehicles of all types with capacity for more than 9 people are banned from crossing borders, with a few exceptions
- Hotels may only have foreigners
- Prison and jail visits banned (but attorneys exempted)
- Drive through medical testing centers set up (only with prescription)
- People without a prescription who want testing can pay between 1300-3000 kc (€48-110, $53-121)
- 174 confirmed cases (+33), 4,065 tested (+971)
Sunday, March 15 – Czech Republic
- Army deputized to help secure borders
- Two hospitals one in Prague and one in Brno, set up as COVID-only
- 293 confirmed cases (+119), 5,068 tested (+1,003)
Monday, March 16 – Czech Republic
- The entire country under quarantine until March 24
- No outside home travel except for work, provisions family visits and hospitals
- Borders essentially closed – no non-residents may enter, almost all Czech and residents banned from leaving
- Stand two meters apart outside the home
- All international train, bus and boat traffic suspended
- The entire town of Litovel quarantined, as well as nearby towns of Uničov and Červenka, due to a cluster of 25 new confirmed patients (total in the zone now at 54)
- The entire town of Kynice (pop. 95) quarantined after exposure at the volunteer fireman’s ball.
- Medical workers called up – out of retirement, etc. This includes fifth- and sixth-year medical students, and final year nursing students and paramedics
- The first 3 recoveries reported
- 383 confirmed cases (+90), 6,302 tested (+1,234)
Tue. March 17 – Czech Republic
Wednesday, March 18 – Czech Republic
- Groceries, drugstores, and pharmacies are only for 65+ from 10-12h.
- 560 confirmed cases (+110), 9,402 tested (+1,738)
Thursday, March 19 – Czech Republic
- Face coverings required at all times when outside your home – 20,000 CZK fine (€732, $805)
- Elderly shopping hours are now from 7 am to 9 am.
- Government lays out plans to cover 80% of worker wages for companies that have to totally shut down
- 765 confirmed cases (+105), 11,619 tested (+2,217)
Friday, March 20 – Czech Republic
- Fourth patient recovers
- 889 cases (+124), 13,704 tested (+2,085)
Saturday, March 21 – Czech Republic
Sunday, March 22 – Czech Republic
Monday, March 23 – Czech Republic
- Movement bans and other restrictions extended until April 1
- No gatherings of more than 2 people
- Two-meter social distancing limit to be enforced
- Police can issue 10,000 kc fine (€366, $402) on the spot for no mask in public, can be doubled if referred to authorities
- 35% of Czech workers working from home
- 1,287 cases (+116), 19,624 tested (+2,247)
Tuesday, March 24 – Czech Republic
- Healthcare workers banned from taking holiday time
- A central database about COVID cases is set up
- 2 more deaths, making 3 total
- 1,472 cases (+126), 19 critical cases, 22,600 tested (+2,976), tenth recovery
Wednesday, March 25 – Czech Republic
- Homeless people being given masks
- Elderly shopping hours in places 500 sq m or more set at 8 am to 10 am
- 1,763 cases (+291), 26,698 tested (+4,098), three more deaths bring total to 6
Thursday, March 26 – Czech Republic
- All food shops and stores must supply gloves at the entrance
- Hotels and other accommodation being used as homeless and quarantine shelters
- Czechs who have commuted to Germany or Austria are asked to stay there for 21 days
- 2,022 cases (+259), 34 critical cases, 31,127 tested (+4,429), 9 deaths total
Friday, March 27 – Czech Republic
Saturday, March 28 – Czech Republic
Sunday, March 29 – Czech Republic
Monday, March 30 – Czech Republic
Tuesday, March 31 – Czech Republic
APRIL 2020
Wednesday, April 1– Czech Republic
Thursday, April 2 – Czech Republic
Friday, April 3
Saturday, April 4
Sunday, April 5
Monday, April 6
Tuesday, April 7
- Some businesses may reopen: scrap yards, ironmongers, construction material shops, hobby markets, and bicycle shops
- All shops must have hand disinfectant available and supermarkets must still provide gloves at entrances
- Outdoor sports fields may reopen, but not their facilities (like showers and locker rooms)
- People may run or cycle alone without a mask
- Two-meter distancing rule still in effect in all public areas, as are masks
- All other shops, restaurants, etc. remain closed
- Chamber of Deputies extends state of emergency through April 30
- World total cases – 1,356,380
- World active cases – 990,046 cases, 47,540 critical (5%);
- World closed cases – 290,572 recovered, 75,762 deaths (5.59% of total cases)