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Austria has entered the “second wave” of infections with the new coronavirus, Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said in a statement issued on Sunday, in the context of a continuous increase in the number of positive cases, reports AFP.
From Friday to Saturday, almost 870 new cases of infection were reported, more than half of them in the capital Vienna, reports Agerpres.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, Austria, a country of 9 million inhabitants, has registered 33,000 cases of contamination with the new coronavirus and 750 deaths associated with COVID-19.
“We are at the beginning of the second wave”Kurz said on Sunday, warning that Austria would soon exceed 1,000 new cases per day and calling on the population to strictly comply with anti-epidemic measures and minimize contacts.
On Friday, the Austrian government announced a tightening of measures regarding the use of masks and public gatherings.
As of Monday, masks will be mandatory, in addition to supermarkets and public transport, and in all commercial units and public buildings.
Chancellor Kurz also warned that if the number of infections continues to increase, the government does not rule out new measures. However, he expressed the hope that a new total quarantine would be avoided.