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From Saturday to Sunday, 38 new infections were added. Currently, 1,262 people in the country are infected with the virus, 291 in hospitals, 72 of them in intensive care. The third opening step is planned.
The situation with new coronavirus infections in Austria remains stable and low. From Saturday to Sunday, 38 new infections were added; by Sunday (9:30 a.m.), 15,871 people had been infected. Three more deaths result in a total of 618. A total of 1,262 people in the country are currently infected with the virus, 291 in hospitals, including 72 in intensive care.
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) spoke of positive development, but this should not lead to oversights and quick openings. “If we were to allow it all over again in a very short period of time, a second wave would be only a matter of a few weeks, with massive effects on society, health and the economy,” Anschober said. “We want to avoid that with all our might.” A safe gradual opening and another stage every two weeks should remain the calendar.
The effects of the second opening step on May 1 will be evaluated next week. “For the next third stage of openings on May 15, we are working on additional subareas in addition to gastronomy,” Anschober said. “This is the only way we can overcome the worst pandemic and massive crisis in decades with a steady hand. We are on the right track. If we continue on this path, we can succeed together.”
Playback number at 0.81
The Food Safety and Health Agency (AGES) considers that development in Austria is relatively stable compared to the last two weeks. Therefore, the effective number of reproductive coronavirus infections was from April 24 to May 6 at 0.81, the number of new diagnoses decreased by 6.8 percent daily. In Vienna too, the situation is apparently not remarkable.
AGE expert Franz Allerberger also gave the go-ahead. “This virus is not as contagious as some people think,” he said of the new issue of the news magazine “Profil.” The infectious disease specialist sees virtually no danger, also from the advisory staff of the Coronavirus Task Force of the Minister of Health, when he remains outdoors. In general, the effect of individual measures is unclear, such as whether the closure or warmer weather caused the decline of new infections.
However, there are still different interpretations regarding the Vienna figures, as reported by various media over the weekend. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is concerned about the high numbers in the federal capital compared to the federal states, as more than half of all cases have occurred in Vienna since the beginning of the month. Vienna City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ), on the other hand, sees long-term development, and numbers in the metropolis clearly declined.
The risk of infection clearly increases
It is clear that the risk of infection increases due to increased mobility. In any case, the anonymous motion data from the telecommunications company A1 and the company Graz Invenium show that the Austrians are again significantly more mobile. But they hardly depend on public transport. Therefore, the fraction of people staying at home is decreasing again, but it is still higher than before the crisis.
An online survey conducted by Vienna-based digital agency MediaBrothers and supported by pollster Philipp Ikrath has shown that Austrians do not want to make major changes in their habits and behavior compared to before Corona. Most respondents would like to return to everyday life before Corona. A “totally online lifestyle” is not expected, but rather selective changes in this direction.
Four million infected worldwide
In any case, Austria seems to be closer to the post-Crown period than many other countries. Because worldwide, the number of infected people reached the four million mark on Saturday afternoon (CEST); on Sunday afternoon there were already 50,000 more infected. Around 280,000 people have died officially or with Covid disease 19, most of them in Europe. But starting Monday there will be a decrease in restrictions in many places, due to lower infection and death rates.
In France, Spain and Belgium, a step towards normality must be taken after almost two months. Around 400,000 stores and service companies are reopening in France. In Spain, around half of the population can take to the streets again with strict distance precautions. Restaurants should be allowed to open for limited outdoor use. Belgium, which was hit hard by the pandemic, opens its stores. However, the restaurants, bars and cafes remain closed.
Also in Russia, work should start in many areas despite Tuesday’s massive growth. Then, officially, the free time from work established by the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, more than a month ago. In Moscow, for example, the reopening of construction sites and industrial companies is allowed. Stores remain closed. Despite the curfew that has been in place for over a month, Russia already has almost 210,000 infections. The daily increase has been in the five-digit range for a long time.
There is concern in parts of Asia. In the Chinese city of Wuhan, the starting point of the pandemic, the risk level of infection in Dongxihu District increased from “low” to “medium” after the first infection occurred there since April 3. In South Korea, the largest increase in four weeks was seen with 34 new cases. Many of these infections are believed to have occurred in bars and nightclubs.
Finally, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency approval for a coronavirus antigen test. It is a new category of tests that can deliver results in minutes. SARS-CoV-2 protein fragments from nasal swabs are detected in the antigen test. An advantage of these antigen tests is that they give results very quickly. However, they are less sensitive than genetic testing, so they go through more infections.
(APA)
