According to data posted on the Health Ministry’s website today, Czechia has had 504 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, 320 less than a week ago and the lowest daily rise since September 6.
Important to note that on weekends, when fewer samples are checked, the increases are always smaller.
Another 19,796 people were vaccinated on Sunday. This is around 1,400 more than the previous Sunday, but it is also the lowest daily vaccination rate in the previous week.
Since the outbreak in March 2020, over 1.6 million people in the 10.7 million-strong Czech Republic have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 29,365 of them dying.
In recent weeks, the epidemiological situation has improved, and vaccination has been ongoing since late December. So far, 3.2 million vaccine doses have been administered, and 1.012 million individuals have had their vaccinations completed.
The total number of daily doses applied was nearly 66,000 last week. Over 77,000 doses were administered on Thursday, setting a new daily high since the vaccine began.
Along with the subsiding infections, hospitals see their burden slowly declining, and most of them are returning to elective care, which they previously suspended amid the coronavirus wave. This morning, there was 28 percent of beds with ventilators and 30 percent of standard oxygenated beds vacant in hospitals, according to the ministry’s data.
In light of the improving situation, the cabinet has approved additional lockdown relaxation steps, which will take effect today. After a long period of closure, hair salons and other body care services have reopened. Elementary school 6th-9th graders are returning to normal school attendance in a rotation system in seven regions, including the capital Prague, and kindergartens are opening to all students. In the seven regions where the epidemiological situation stays under control, museums and galleries will open.