In Austria, the new corona infections are shooting through the roof again. Never since the beginning of the pandemic have so many corona cases been recorded in one day.
Vienna – It is a record: 47,795 new infections were recorded in Austria on Wednesday. On this day of all days, the Austrian government suspended compulsory vaccination against the corona virus. The nationwide 7-day incidence was most recently 2,510 (as of March 8). This value is updated by AGES on Wednesday afternoon.
Austria: Party nights drive infections
In Austria, almost all Corona * measures fell on Saturday (March 5th). Clubs and discos should finally open up again after a two-year Corona break. The bars and dance floors were literally stormed by party people at the weekend, Austrian media reports. And: the party nights take place without a mask.
Corona forecast for Austria: Up to 60,000 new infections per day
Experts had previously warned of this situation. The massive loosening is too early. Austria relaxed, in the middle of the omicron wave – with infection numbers on a high plateau.
“The current forecast assumes an increase in the incidence of infection, which is due to the opening steps from 5.3. and 19.2. as well as the increasing dominance of the omicron subtype BA.2,” says the Covid forecast consortium in its current report (as of March 8).
The rate of infection accelerates. According to the experts, this has nothing to do with the dominance of BA.2. Additional “driving factors” – such as the opening of night catering, reduction of the mask requirement, extensive abolition of the mask requirement – had an impact on the infection process.
Corona in Austria: Experts expect the peak in mid-March
In the case forecast for March 16, the range is large: between 20,000 new infections and well over 60,000 are expected.
In its report at the beginning of March, the Covid prognosis consortium warned of an increase in the incidence of infection driven by the omicron subtype BA.2. In the model forecast, a maximum of 50,000 new corona infections was expected for March 9th. Even in retrospect, the values were very close to the forecast. Now that is confirmed again.
The experts expected the Omikron BA.2 wave to peak in mid-March. “However, the opening steps planned for March 5 could delay the achievement of this peak,” the report said at the time.
Austria: New infections by federal state (as of March 9, 2022)
- Vienna: 8,955
- Vorarlberg: 2,286
- Tyrol: 3,207
- Styria: 7,770
- Salzburg: 2,868
- Upper Austria: 9,007
- Lower Austria: 11,216
- Carinthia: 1,617
- Burgenland: 869
Vienna’s Mayor Ludwig: “Repealing the protective measures was a mistake”
In Vienna, even stricter regulations apply. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) writes on Twitter: “The number of infections is at a record level. Removing the protections was a mistake. I always warned about this development! The city will continue to follow the consistent path.”
The ORF reports that the increasing corona numbers are making themselves felt in the hospitals in Vienna. According to this, there are currently 603 Covid patients in normal wards – a high. The record of November 17, 2020 with 599 Covid patients was broken. The situation is tense, but not yet overwhelmed.
The number of infections is at an absolute record level. Removing the protections was a mistake. I always warned about this development! We will continue to follow the consistent path in @Stadt_Wien. /1 #CoronaVirusAT #COVID19at
— Michael Ludwig (@BgmLudwig) March 9, 2022
The number of infections in Austria is so extreme
Taking into account the number of inhabitants in Austria, the new infections would correspond to around 450,000 in Germany. All information about the Corona situation in Germany can be found in our news ticker. (ml with dpa material) *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
