Illustrative stock photo (source: TASR)
The impact of the third pandemic wave is already visible in Slovakia's Covid-19 statistics.
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Slovakia belongs to the countries with the quickest growth in new Covid cases in the world; it is also witnessing quite a big increase in the number of hospitalisations.
The situation is worsening on the regional level as well, with only a few regions remaining in the best, green tier of the alert system, known as Covid automat.
Bad situation in Rožňava
The 7-day incidence of cases (i.e. the number of cases during seven days per 100,000 inhabitants) rose by 113 percent compared to 49 percent last week. This means Slovakia has the second-fastest increase in daily caseload in the region, after Hungary, said Matej Mišík, head of the Institute for Health Analyses, which runs under the Health Ministry.
At the same time, the number of hospitalisations rose by 80 percent compared to the previous week. The highest increase was reported by hospitals in eastern Slovakia, where the vaccination rate remains low. As much as 91 percent of hospitalised patients there have not been fully vaccinated against Covid, Mišík noted.
The worsening situation prompted the crisis staff and the Regional Public Health Authority in Rožňava (Košice Region) to switch to the red tier on Thursday, September 9. Hygienists revealed two big hotspots there and many cases whose source could not be traced back. Only five cases were imported from abroad.
The map of districts from September 13, 2021. (source: Health Ministry)
In the red tier, unvaccinated people who do not have a negative test result will not be allowed inside restaurants or on their terraces. As for mass events, organisers who have chosen to restrict entry to people with proof of vaccination, a negative test or proof they have recovered from Covid cannot have more than 25 percent of capacity or more than 150 participants. They must keep a list with attendees' names and contacts too.
As of Monday, September 13, 10 districts will be in the red tier while 47 will be in the orange tier and 22 in the green tier.
Tiers of districts starting September 13
Districts at Warning Level 1 (red)
Bytča • Košice I-IV • Krupina • Poprad • Rožňava • Skalica • Trenčín
Districts at Alert Level (orange)
Bánovce nad Bebravou • Banská Bystrica • Banská Štiavnica • Bardejov • Brezno • Čadca • Detva • Dolný Kubín • Gelnica • Ilava • Kežmarok • Košice-okolie • Kysucké Nové Mesto • Levice • Levoča • Liptovský Mikuláš • Lučenec • Martin • Michalovce • Myjava • Nitra • Nové Mesto nad Váhom • Partizánske • Piešťany • Považská Bystrica • Prešov • Prievidza • Revúca • Rimavská Sobota • Sabinov • Šaľa • Senica • Snina • Sobrance • Spišská Nová Ves • Stará Ľubovňa • Svidník • Topoľčany • Trebišov • Turčianske Teplice • Tvrdošín • Veľký Krtíš • Vranov nad Topľou • Žarnovica • Žiar nad Hronom • Žilina • Zvolen
Monitoring (green)
Bratislava I-V • Dunajská Streda • Galanta • Hlohovec • Humenné • Komárno • Malacky • Medzilaborce • Námestovo • Nové Zámky • Pezinok • Poltár • Púchov • Ružomberok • Senec • Stropkov • Trnava • Zlaté Moravce
