VIENNA (Reuters) – Some Austrian media reported on Friday {that a} full COVID-19 lockdown can be launched nationally as of Monday, forward of a authorities announcement due later within the day on whether or not it might take that step amid document an infection ranges.
Roughly 66% of Austria’s inhabitants is totally vaccinated, one of many lowest charges in western Europe. Its infections are among the many highest on the continent, with a seven-day incidence of 971.5 per 100,000 folks, and day by day circumstances preserve setting data.
Austria’s two worst-hit provinces, Salzburg and Higher Austria, have already stated they may introduce their very own lockdowns on Monday and are urgent the nationwide authorities to do the identical nationally.
The governors of Austria’s 9 provinces are assembly Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg and Well being Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein on Friday and as a result of announce whether or not a nationwide lockdown might be imposed at a information convention at 12:30 p.m. (1130 GMT).
Austria launched a lockdown for the unvaccinated on Monday however infections have continued to rise far above the earlier peak a 12 months in the past, when the nation went right into a nationwide lockdown.
A number of newspapers together with the Kleine Zeitung and influential tabloid Kronen Zeitung stated officers agreed in a single day {that a} lockdown can be imposed as of Monday, initially for 10 days.
(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Modifying by Mark Potter)
