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HOSPITALS

Today in Austria: A round-up of the latest news on Wednesday

Find out what's going on today in Austria with The Local's short roundup of the news.

Vienna
People walk along the "Am Kohlmarkt" luxury shopping street in downtown Vienna. Austrian shops are seeing an almost unprecedented number of closures. (Photo by AFP)

Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland extend lockdown

As The Local reported on Tuesday, due to pressure on Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland’s intensive care units, the lockdown in the eastern states will be extended until April 18th.

Non-essential retail, hairdressers and other “body-hugging” service providers, museums and zoos will remain closed, and schools will stay switched to distance learning.

READ MORE: Vienna and eastern states set to extend coronavirus lockdown

Hospitals under stress since second wave, says intensive care doctor

Viennese intensive care physician Thomas Staudinger has given an interview to the radio programme  Ö1 Morgenjournal  in which he says intensive care units in the city have been under stress since the second wave in the autumn.

He says planned treatments have had to be postponed due to the large number of coronavirus patients in Vienna’s hospitals, Der Standard reports.

The city-state’s ICUs currently include 224 coronavirus patients, the highest number since the pandemic began, reports Austrian news agency ORF. However, the Ministry of Health expects the number to climb to 270 by 14th April. 

READ MORE: Coronavirus ICUs at record capacity in Vienna and eastern Austria

Vienna’s Mayor says many patients in city’s hospitals come from other states

Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig wrote in a Facebook post that in many of Vienna’s hospitals between 15 and  40 percent of  patients already come from other states.

The government held a summit with other states on Tuesday to try and distribute intensive care patients from heavily used federal states in the east to less affected ones in the rest of the country, Der Standard reports.

Openings in May still “realistic” says Kurz

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz still believes it will be possible to open up culture, restaurants and hotels in May in Austria, despite the pressure in Austria’s hospitals in the eastern states. However, he says the measures depend on the number of infections.

There will be further discussion of possible opening steps in two weeks by a commission, including social partners, the association of cities and municipalities and the chairman of the governor’s conference, Der Standard reports. 

Infections still high throughout Austria 

Every state in Austria has a seven-day incidence rate of more than 100 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the country’s broadcaster ORF. Vorarlberg has the lowest seven day incidence (127.2), while Vienna has the largest number of coronavirus infections (322.8). The seven day incidence across Austria is 233.8.

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HEALTH

Tens of thousands of workers in Austria hit by Covid and flu as cases rise

Does it seem like everyone around you in Austria is sick? As it turns out, statistics support your suspicions.

Tens of thousands of workers in Austria hit by Covid and flu as cases rise

Last week, over 110,000 people in Austria were absent from work due to COVID-19, influenza, or flu-like diseases.

Statistics from ÖGK policyholders, Austria’s largest public health insurer, indicated that more than 400 individuals were specifically impacted by influenza (“real flu”), while over 84,000 stayed home due to flu-like symptoms. ÖGK’s chief physician, Andreas Krauter, highlighted a noticeable uptick in sick days via a statement on Monday.

The news comes Austria struggles with 10,000 more COVID-19 infections. than at the same time last year. Several variants of the Omicron strain of the virus are currently under observation by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and with temperatures plummeting, it is thought that a colder winter could further boost cases. 

Austria was a centre of several COVID-19 outbreaks in the early months of the pandemic, and stringent measures were introduced across the country in order to tackle its spread. 

READ MORE: How can I get a Covid or flu vaccine in Austria this autumn?

In his statement, Krauter emphasised the efficacy of masks in offering reliable protection against infection and curtailing further transmission. He particularly stressed the importance of considering this protective measure for individuals with underlying health risks. “For them and everyone else, we recommend vaccination against Covid-19 and influenza. Washing your hands is also important”, he said in a press release.

In total, ÖGK recorded 297,000 individuals afflicted by various illnesses or injuries and registered for sick leave during the last week.

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