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Covid: strong surge of infections and deaths in CEE

But cases down in Czechia, Slovakia, Albania, Montenegro

24 March, 11:47
(by Stefano Giantin) (ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAR 24 - With the exception of Czechia, Slovakia, Albania and Montenegro, all countries in Central- and Eastern Europe (CEE) registered an increase in new infections in the week ending March 21, with the region in a whole recording a significant surge of cases and deaths, according to the latest epidemiological update of the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the WHO epidemiological update, a total of 672,973 new COVID-19 cases +20.0% compared to last week) and 11,806 new deaths (+8.2% week-on-week) were reported by the countries in the Balkans and in Central- and Eastern Europe to the World Health Organization (WHO) through March 21, bringing the cumulative total of cases to 13,088,370 and of deaths to 298,218.

WHO data show that in the past week the countries across Central- and Eastern Europe that reported more new cases were Poland (151918), Germany (90271), Ukraine (85607), Czechia (70469), Hungary (55106), Romania (37522) and Serbia (34485). The countries across the region that reported more new deaths last week were Poland (2122), Ukraine (1638), Czechia (1441), Hungary (1310) and Germany (1293).

In Central- and Eastern Europe, the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic were reported in Germany (74664), Poland (49300), Ukraine (29941), Czechia (24667), Romania (22132), Hungary (18262) and Bulgaria (11966).

Czechia is the country in the region with the highest ratio between deaths and population since weeks, with 230 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population, compared to 173 in Italy, followed by Slovenia (205), Hungary (189), Montenegro (186), Bosnia-Herzegovina (177), Bulgaria (172), Slovakia and North Macedonia (both 166).

In Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and in the Western Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania) 2,764,517 confirmed cumulative cases (+135,066) and 63,339 total deaths (+2,428) were registered as of March 21.

According to official data collected by the portal Our World in Data, updated as of March 22, Serbia (with 32.2 doses per 100 people) is now fourth in Europe after the Monaco, the United Kingdom and Malta for COVID-19 vaccination doses administered per 100 people. In Central- and Eastern Europe, the countries that are vaccinating at the fastest pace are Hungary (21.9) and Estonia (16.9), against 13.2 in Italy. (ANSA).

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