The spread of the corona virus is currently slowing in Austria. The increase from 2,203 to 2,664 cases in the period from 24 hours to 8:00 a.m. on Saturday means an increase of around 21 percent. For example, on Saturday last week it was still over 40 percent. However, developments in Italy are alarming: 793 people died within 24 hours from the consequences of COVID-19.
Regarding the deaths in Austria, eight have been confirmed in connection with SARS-CoV-2, according to the ministry. Three in Vienna, three in Styria and one each in Lower and Upper Austria. There was also a first death in Burgenland, which has not yet been confirmed by the Ministry of Health. With the new infections, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) described the development in Austria as “stable”, but indicated that a further significant reduction was necessary in the coming week.
On the other hand, an increase in the number of tests is necessary – and here too the short-term trend is correct: According to the Ministry of Health, 18,545 tests were carried out in Austria until Saturday (status: 8:00 a.m.) – an increase to 2,932 tests within 24 hours was reported here.
Attempts are still being made to comply with the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) to significantly increase the number of tests. The head of department for communicable diseases in the Ministry of Health, Bernhard Benka, referred in the ORF-Ö1 midday journal to the fact that “commercial manufacturers were validating more and more Bringing test kits onto the market “- but as there is still a shortage at the moment, it is now a matter of testing the hospital staff in particular.
The SARS-Covid-19 virus now dominates Upper Austria in a comparison of federal states. This emerges from the official “Dashboard COVID19” of the Ministry of Health, which has made the current developments in Austria available online every 15 minutes since Saturday afternoon (https://info.gesundheitsministerium.at/). The figures given here combine the results of the nationwide laboratory tests, according to the ministry, the developments down to the district level are shown here.
According to the figures from 8:30 p.m. Tyrol now has 578 cases. On Saturday evening, the federal state called on all people who were in bars and après-ski bars in the Zillertal during the week from March 8th to 15th to check their health and to contact health advice 1450 if they experience symptoms. The reason: 32 positive coronavirus tests that are known in the Zillertal so far and the difficult follow-up of any contact persons. The number of infections across Austria was around 3,000.
There is something new in the repatriations of Austrians abroad: On Saturday morning another flight from Hurghada with 175 returnees returned. Another Hurghada flight and one flight from Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca were also scheduled for Saturday, the Foreign Ministry reported. There will be flights from Cape Town and Cairo tomorrow Sunday and then a flight from Washington DC on Monday, for which preparations are in full swing.
In Germany, violations of the Covid 19 Measures Act have increased, the number of advertisements rose to over 800 on Saturday, around 400 in Tyrol. The German government is planning ahead and has made another 22 million euros available for research to combat the corona virus. The main purpose of the funding is to provide clinical trials for the testing of drugs and active substances against Covid 19 disease and research projects to keep hospitals sterile.
The situation is unchanged internationally: Europe, including the EU, is currently becoming the global epicenter of the pandemic, with around 120,000 illnesses and over 6,000 deaths. The death toll in Italy climbed to over 4,800 people today, and the number of infected to over 42,000. And the situation is also getting worse in Spain.
(SERVICE – The coronavirus hotline of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Security (AGES) is available on the free phone number 0800 555 621 seven days a week from midnight to midnight Stay home, call the 1450 health phone, and follow the instructions there.)
Source: APA
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