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In Austria, the number of new infections has reached 3,357 cases in 24 hours, an annual record. 26 people died. For comparison: yesterday in Switzerland there were 1,750 cases, with a similar number of inhabitants. The 7-day incidence in Austria is 210 (Switzerland 103).
On February 8, after a long lockdown, Austria began to slowly build up the country and open stores. During the shutdown, the number of new infections each day dropped to around 1,000 at the end of January.
Still strict rules
The numbers are on the rise, although strict rules still apply even after closing. FFP2 masks have to be used in many places, restaurants can only offer takeout and hotels are only used in exceptional cases. There is a departure restriction between 8 pm and 6 am, and a maximum of two households can meet during this time.
Mutations, which are now responsible for nearly two-thirds of new infections, are to blame for the increase. But the massive test offensive also results in a higher number of cases in the statistics. So far, a total of around 18.5 million tests have been performed.
Since closing, the positivity rate has increased from 0.7 to 1 percent (Switzerland currently 5.4 percent).
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Space in hospitals is slowly starting to run low again. The occupancy rate of normal and intensive care beds provided to corona patients increased in one month from 19 to 28 percent and from 30 to 45 percent, respectively. “The alarm bells are ringing for me,” university professor Heinz Burgmann is quoted in the Austrian media.
A new lockdown looms
In response to rising numbers, Vienna is tightening measures in schools and kindergartens. With an incidence of 400, schools would have to close completely again, and then a total closure would be possible again.
Austria had reached the highest values since the outbreak of the pandemic with around 8,800 daily infections in mid-November. Meanwhile, around 9,000 people (Switzerland 10,160) have died in connection with Corona.
The values are also increasing in Germany. 17,504 new corona infections were reported in one day, about 3,000 more than on Thursday of the previous week. In addition, 227 additional deaths were recorded in 24 hours. The 7-day incidence nationwide on Thursday was 90, and thus again significantly higher than the day before (86.2). (gf)
Published: 03/18/2021, 12:35 pm
Last Updated: March 18, 2021, 52 minutes ago
