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HEALTH-VIRUS-SLOVAKIA
Slovakia imposes overnight curfew to fight Covid
BRATISLAVA, March 3, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Slovakia imposed an overnight curfew
from Wednesday, the health ministry said, as the ex-communist country battles
the world’s highest Covid mortality rate.
Slovaks will not be allowed out of their homes between 8:00 pm and 5:00
am, according to a government decree.
During the day, Slovaks are being asked to stay in their homes with some
exceptions, including medical visits, going to work and walks in nature or
with pets.
The curfew applies until March 19 but may be extended.
The EU country of 5.4 million has the world’s highest rate of Covid
deaths, with 24 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days,
according to an AFP tally.
The high rate “is due to many factors, Slovakia has made several
mistakes,” Doctors’ Trade Union Association chairman Peter Visolajsky told
AFP earlier.
“The lockdown was introduced too late and it is not sufficiently
monitored. Also, this mortality rate is caused by the overall bad condition
of Slovak healthcare,” Visolajsky said.
The expert said that, rather than adopting more restrictions, better
enforcement of those already in place “could reduce the number of
infections”.
Slovakia on Monday became the second country in the EU after Hungary to
receive a shipment of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccines after ordering two million
of the jabs.
Slovakia has also sent 10 patients for treatment in neighbouring Poland
and is hosting a medical team from Romania after appealing to the EU for
assistance.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1706 hrs