Czechs, Slovaks report surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitals stretched

FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers speak to a homeless person infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a hotel, rented by Prague city hall, where homeless people who contracted COVID-19 can convalesce, in Prague, Czech Republic, March 22, 2021. REUTERS/David W Cerny

PRAGUE (Reuters) -The Czech Republic and Slovakia reported fresh surges in coronavirus infections on Wednesday and again had to start limiting non-urgent hospital care to cater for admissions of COVID-19 patients.

Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million, reported a record high 7,055 new cases for Tuesday, and the Czech Republic, twice the size, reported 14,539 cases, not far from an all-time peak seen in January.