The planned transfer of President Miloš Zeman from the intensive care unit to a regular room on Thursday was carried out with police assistance. His transfer took place in secret through an underground tunnel, apparently to avoid being seen by journalists and television crews.
An underground tunnel in the hospital, which is normally open to the public, was closed so the protective services could transport the President without any problems. Before the transport, the tunnel had been checked by a dog handler to ensure that it was secure, for example, from an explosive device.
In order to keep the President out of sight of cameras, bins were placed in spots that he could be seen. Zeman was moved to a regular bed because comprehensive nutritional support led to an improvement in his condition, according to the hospital.
The hospitalization was due to the decompensation of a known chronic condition, which led to impaired food and fluid intake. The President’s health at the time of admission to the hospital required urgent medical care. The President’s clinical condition improved as a result of the treatment, particularly because of the detailed nutritional support provided by the Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care Medicine at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and the Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, according to hospital spokesperson Jitka Zinke.
The president has been in the hospital since 10 October, having been transferred there from Lány the day after the election and after a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). After being moved to a regular bed from the intensive care unit, Zeman can receive visits from politicians.