Daily news summary

Predictive models forecast 8,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in mid-April

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases could reach 8,000 by mid-April, when incidence should reach a peak, according to a predictive model presented by the Institute of Health Information and Statistics on Wednesday. At the end of the month there could be around 14,200 of confirmed cases. The share of senior population with the disease could increase to roughly 40 percent.

The number of all coronavirus cases, including those who show no symptoms of the disease and go unrecorded by the medical system could reach 5,600 in mid-April and 7,200 at the end of April, according to an optimistic scenario. The pessimistic model forecasts altogether 12,300 cases in mid-April and around 30,000 at the end of the month.

As of Wednesday morning there were 3,330 cases of Covid-19 in the Czech Republic. Thirty-two people have died and 70 are in a serious condition.

State of emergency could be extended by another 30 days

Jan Hamáček, the head of the country’s Central Crisis Staff, will recommend the government extending the state of emergency by another 30 days, until May 11. He made the statement after the staff’s meeting on Wednesday.

Mr Hamáček said the state of emergency will not affect potential loosening of the protective measures introduced by the government. The cabinet is due to discuss the proposal later in the day.

The Central Crisis Staff will also recommend the government to allow police officers to fine on the spot citizens who violate the protective measures against Covid-19.

The government declared a state of emergency in the Czech Republic on March 12.

Blanket screening to take place on sample of Czech population

Deputy health minister Roman Prymula plans to carry out a blanket screening for coronavirus on a representative sample of Czech population, Czech Radio reported on Wednesday. The aim of the screening is to assess what percentage of Czech population has contracted the Covid-19 disease.

Mr Prymula said he would like to carry out the testing as soon as possible, most likely next week. According to the new head of the country’s Central Crisis Staff, Jan Hamáček, they will use the rapid coronavirus test kits which are based on detecting antibodies against the virus.

Mr Prymula, who is in charge of the new smart quarantine system, also wants to screen all inhabitants of the town of Litovel and its surroundings, which was under full quarantine until Monday due to a high number of registered coronavirus cases.

Repatriation flight from Chicago due in Prague on Wednesday

A plane carrying 180 Czech citizens who were stranded in the United States by the coronavirus crisis is due to land in Prague on Wednesday afternoon. The repatriation flight, dispatched from Chicago, was organised by the Czech Foreign Ministry. According to the ministry’s spokeswoman, Zuzana Štíchová, no other repatriation flights from the United States have been planned for the present time. The Czech embassy in Washington has advised Czech citizens stranded in the United States to use commercial flights to Europe or book a charter flight organised by Slovakia, which will fly from Miami to the Slovak capital Bratislava next week.

Poll: ANO would win elections with 30.8 percent of vote

The ANO party of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš would win elections to the lower house of parliament with 30.8 percent voter support, suggests a freshly released poll by the STEM agency. According to the March survey, the Pirate Party would come second with 15.2 percent, followed by the Civic Democrats with the backing of 11.8 percent of voters. Some 8.6 percent of respondents said they would cast their ballots for Freedom and Direct Democracy, 7.4 percent would back the Communists and 7 percent would support the Social Democrats, the survey indicates. The Mayors and Independents and the Christian Democrats would just cross the 5 percent threshold needed to win seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Three Czech sites added to European Heritage Label

The Czech sites have been awarded the European Heritage Label by the European Commission.

Among the ten new localities added to the list are Kynžvart Chateau in West Bohemia and two functionalist housing estates built between the wars, namely the Baba Colony in Prague and the New House Colony in Brno.

The European Heritage Label aims to raise awareness of sites that have played a significant role in the history, culture and development of the European Union, as well as to highlight their European dimension through information and educational activities.

Weather

Thursday is expected to be sunny to partly cloudy with temperatures ranging between 9 and 13 degrees Celsius.