Illustrative stock photo (source: SME)
Our paywall policy:
The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.
The Orava region in northern Slovakia is struggling with the coronavirus infection. As many as 17 of the 29 COVID-19 cases confirmed during the July 3 testing were from the area.
“Twelve positive patients are minors who were in contact during a sports camp,” said regional hygienist Mária Varmusová, as quoted by the MY Orava website, adding the other camp goers were in contact with them.
The only exception is a patient who imported the disease from abroad, she said.
The children attended the camp between June 19 and 23 in a hotel near the Orava Dam, which includes a roofed ice rink. They were not accommodated there but commuted to the place every day, training for several hours. They could have been infected by two coaches from Prague who took care of them, MY Orava wrote.
Numbers could continue rising
The regional branch of the Public Health Authority (ÚVZ) in Dolný Kubín (Žilina Region) ordered the coronavirus-positive patients and their families to stay in home isolation. It also took necessary steps to prevent the spreading of the disease, such as searching for people who could have been in touch with them, Varmusová said.
“We’re taking samples from other suspected people, homecomers and other indicated people so we expect the number of positive cases to continue rising,” she added for MY Orava.
Meanwhile, the ÚVZ regional branch is preparing further measures in cooperation with municipalities, the self-governing region and other involved subjects.
Due to the current situation, a crisis staff met and recommended that the Tvrdošín and Námestovo districts close summer schools and refrain from organising mass events.
