PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic reported 650 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, its highest number for a single day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic
The latest cases, recorded by the Health Ministry over the previous 24 hours, took the overall number of cases reported since March to 25,773 in the country of 10.7 million.
The Czech Republic has registered 425 deaths associated with COVID-19, a lower toll than many of its fellow European Union member states, but the number of new infections has spiked in recent days. On five days since Aug. 26, there have been more new cases than on any day during the first wave of the pandemic.
Health Minister Adam Vojtech started isolating at home on Wednesday after the chief public health officer, Jarmila Razova, tested positive for the coronavirus. The minister tested negative.
Razova has spearheaded the government’s efforts to curb the virus since starting her job in March. She has been in close contact with Prime Minister Andrej Babis and other top government officials.
(Reporting by Robert Muller; Editing by Kim Coghill and Timothy Heritage)
