Krajci: Coronavirus Situation in Slovakia Gradually Deteriorating

Bratislava, September 18 (TASR) – The current situation in Slovakia regarding the novel coronavirus is gradually deteriorating, Health Minister Marek Krajci (OLaNO) told a press conference on Friday, adding that the number of ‘red’ and ‘orange’ districts is growing.

There are currently 14 ‘red’, 14 ‘orange’ and 51 ‘green’ districts in the country. The minister noted that positive cases among the population over the age of 65 are growing on a weekly basis.

“It’s gradually growing. We can expect about a 20-percent weekly increase, so the number, unfortunately, will be higher. We’d need to apply the handbrake and see what effect it would have,” said Krajci.

According to the health minister, the sources of the disease in Slovakia are weddings, family and company celebrations, discos and bars, larger church meetings, sports camps, workplaces and hostels. Slovakia’s chief hygienist Jan Mikas therefore issued as of Friday a ban on mass events in public catering areas, that is restaurants, night-clubs, clubs and discos.

If the number of people at the meetings decreased from 500 to 100, the number of contacts would fall 25 times, said the minister, adding this is why it’s important to limit people’s meetings.

With the current state of the epidemic in Slovakia, there is a 16 percent chance for a person at a meeting with a capacity of 500 people to become infected. In Bratislava, this chance is 37 percent, said Krajci. However, he added that by reducing, for example, the limit for weddings to a maximum of 30 people, this chance falls below one percent.