Coronavirus: Austria reports lowest number of cases since October as nation fully ‘reopens’

Alpine country saw 1,792 new infections in 24 hours, down from highs of around 13,000 daily cases in late November when lockdown began

Restrictions lifted for vaccinated but remain in place for unvaccinated; travellers to nation must show proof of third dose or PCR test

Reading Time:2 minutes

People in Vienna, Austria hold candles to mourn Covid-19 victims on December 19. The commemorative event was held to mourn the 13,000 lives lost to the virus in the alpine nation. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 10:44pm, 20 Dec 2021

As the last few regions in Austria reopened restaurants and hotels on Monday, the country reported fewer than 2,000 new coronavirus cases, the lowest number since October.

Austria saw 1,792 new infections in 24 hours, down from daily highs of around 13,000 daily cases in late November, a trend that stands in contrast to rising cases across much of Europe.

In response to a massive fourth wave of infections, the small Alpine nation went into a 20-day lockdown on November 22. National lockdown restrictions were lifted for vaccinated people on December 12, but remain in place for unvaccinated people.

A car drives past an empty police hut at the border crossing to Austria near Niederndorf. Stricter entry regulations for Austria have been in force since December 20. Photo: dpa

Since December 12, each of Austria’s nine states has set its own policy regarding reopening. In some states, restaurants and hotels reopened immediately, while in others they remained closed a few days longer.

The capital, Vienna, opted to open shops and Christmas markets last week, but kept restaurants and hotels closed until December 20.

The latest case numbers show the benefit of the lockdown, especially as the omicron variant has led to rising cases elsewhere across Europe. Austria’s seven-day rate of new infections now stands at 215 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with a high of 1,100 per 100,000 late last month.

In addition, the number of patients in intensive-care units has also dropped, although more slowly than the case numbers. Currently, 475 people are being treated in ICUs, down from a high of 664 in early December.