Prague, Frýdek-Místek remain only Czech localities in low COVID-19-risk zone; none in medium or high risk

Prague, Aug 17 (CTK) – Prague and the Frýdek-Místek district, north Moravia, are still in the green zone of the first stage of COVID-19 risk on Czechia’s map of the epidemiological situation, while all other districts are white (no or negligible risk), the Health Ministry announced in a press release today.

The map of the epidemiological situation in Czech districts is called the “traffic light” map as it colors districts in white (zero risk), green, yellow and red depending on the rising risk level.

The Frýdek-Místek district has the highest number of people tested positive for COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants (244.1), followed by Prague with 107.5. In the past seven days, more than 60 new cases per 100,000 were confirmed in the Frýdek-Místek district, while in Prague, it was about 35 per 100,000.

In the whole Czech Republic, there are about 15.6 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

“Local infection clusters are comprised mainly of cases without any symptoms and patients with a mild course of the disease. The situation in the localities with an increased infection incidence is in control, vulnerable groups of inhabitants are not afflicted, the number of the hospitalised is not rising,” chief public health officer Jarmila Razova said in a press release.

In Prague and in the Frýdek-Místek district, most new cases are connected with large infection clusters, while less than one-fifth of infections cannot be connected with them, public health officers said.

According to the Health Ministry, the high COVID-19 incidence is reported in capitals in other countries, too, due to a high concentration of people and a number of public events.

The reproduction number or the number of people infected with COVID 19 by one person is over one in Prague, which means a certain risk of community spread, the ministry warns.

The situation on the Moravia-Silesia Region has stabilized and there are under 20 new cases a day in the Frýdek-Místek district. Only sporadic new cases appear in the nearby Karvina district where a big infection cluster was previously tied to local coal mines.

More than 20,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 in the Czech Republic in 169 days since the epidemic outbreak in early March. A record 5,816 are currently ill and 397 patients with COVID-19 have died in the country so far. On Sunday, 121 new cases were recorded, their number totalling 20,012,