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HEALTH- AUSTRIA-TOURISM-INVESTIGATION
Four probed over Austria ski resort virus outbreak
VIENNA, Sept 30, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Austrian prosecutors said Wednesday they
are investigating four suspects over alleged mishandling of a notorious
coronavirus outbreak in a group of popular ski resorts in early March.
More than 6,000 tourists from 45 countries, including Germany, the UK and
the US, allegedly contracted the virus while holidaying in the western
Austrian province of Tyrol, the majority of them in Ischgl, a small ski
resort popular for its apres-ski partying.
The public prosecutor’s office in the regional capital of Innsbruck
confirmed to AFP that they had narrowed their investigation to four people
after a thorough initial probe and a review of more than 10,000 pages of
evidence.
The prosecutor’s office declined to identify the suspects.
“In particular the implementation of a decree in regards to traffic
restrictions in Ischgl as well as the quarantine of Paznauntal valley is
being probed more closely,” Hansjoerg Mayr from the public prosecutors’
office said.
Tourists have accused local authorities of failing to inform them of the
outbreak at the resorts in a timely fashion, as well as a panicked evacuation
during which many had to cram onto public transport alongside sneezing and
coughing fellow visitors.
Austrian public broadcaster ORF, citing an anonymous source, said that the
four people under investigation were Ischgl’s mayor Werner Kurz and Markus
Maass, the head of Landeck district — which administers Ischgl — along with
two other officials.
They are being investigated for having wilfully or negligently endangered
people through a contagious disease, according to ORF.
Several days after authorities were made aware of infections in one of
Ischgl’s tightly packed bars, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced on
March 13 that the narrow valley would be put under lockdown, and that
thousands of tourists would have an hour to evacuate.
Panic ensued, and tourists reported that the 30-kilometre (18-mile) ride to
the district’s capital took up to seven hours on crammed buses as authorities
demanded they sign forms promising to return to their respective homes
without making any detours.
No one, however, was tested for the virus, and thousands of tourists now
believe that they helped spread the disease across Europe at a time when the
World Health Organization was yet to declare the coronavirus a pandemic.
Mayr said his office has yet to decide whether charges will be taken to the
courts.
Officials in Landeck district referred AFP to the regional government,
which declined to confirm the names of those under investigation but said it
would support “all investigations as much as possible”.
Ischgl’s mayor did not reply to a request for comment.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1932 hrs