PRAGUE, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Czech authorities recorded 14,539 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, the highest daily tally since mid-March and close to all-time highs seen in January, health ministry data showed, as a vaccinations campaign started.
The outgoing government of Prime Minster Andrej Babis has rejected imposing a lockdown or similar restrictions despite the numbers growing steadily in recent weeks, saying vaccinations were the way to tame the fresh wave of the pandemic.
The Czech Republic had 6.14 million people fully vaccinated among the population of 10.7 million as of Nov. 9.
With 58.7% of the total population vaccinated, the country ranks below the European Union average of 64.6%, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
The latest vaccination campaign is using graphic pictures of COVID-19 victims accompanied by slogans like: “He did not find the time to get vaccinated.”
Hospitalisations grew to 3,295, including 462 people in intensive care, in the nation of 10.7 million.
(Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by Clarence Fernandez & Simon Cameron-Moore)
Photo – Tourists wearing protective face masks walk on Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic. EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK
