Coronavirus in Austria: Update

More+More+ ♦ Published: July 20, 2020; 22:20 ♦ (Vindobona)

The coronavirus pandemic has also hit Austria, and deaths and infections caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are still on the rise. New officially confirmed cases of disease are constantly being added. Despite this outbreak in Austria, the situation looks much worse elsewhere. In contrast, however, there are more than 610,797 deaths worldwide due to the Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The Austrian health authorities are networked with the relevant bodies within the framework of WHO and EU membership and are in permanent coordination. The international authorities monitor current developments and address the member countries with the following recommendations.

Disposable face masks are NOT an effective protection against the coronavirus, but they can help reduce the risk of the virus spreading. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Rudolf Goldhammer Ru-go [Public Domain]

The number of current suspected cases is official information from the Austrian health authorities (Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection and Federal Ministry of the Interior).

These follow uniform criteria and are updated daily around noon (local time). (Please return for updated numbers.)

COVID-19 Diseases in Austria, as of Monday, July 20, 2020, 9.00 p.m.:

Confirmed cases in Austria: 19,670 cases. (This marks an increase of 3006 confirmed cases compared to the previous update.)

Confirmed deaths in Austria: 711 deaths. (This marks an increase of 42 deaths compared to the previous update.)

Confirmed cases in Austria by federal states (in brackets: total number, + difference to previous update): 

Burgenland (385, +43), Carinthia (451, +36), Lower Austria (3198, +332), Salzburg (1327, +107), Styria (1990, +153), Tyrol (3610, +75), Upper Austria (3279, +982), Vienna (4511, +1258) and Vorarlberg (919, +20).

Confirmed deaths in Austria sorted by federal states (in brackets: total number, + difference to previous update): 

Burgenland (11, +0), Carinthia (13, +0), Lower Austria (105, +5), Salzburg (38, +0), Styria (154, +7), Tyrol (108, +0), Upper Austria (61, +0), Vienna (202, +30) and Vorarlberg (19, +0).

Tests carried out so far in Austria: 798,436

According to the official figures, a total of 17,659 COVID-19 patients have recovered in Austria.

COVID-19 Diseases in in the 32 European Countries (EU/EEA, United Kingdom and Switzerland)

Confirmed cases in Europe1,623,533 cases. (This marks an increase of 23,533 confirmed cases compared to the previous update. In brackets: total number):

United Kingdom (294,792), Spain (260,255), Italy (244,434), Germany (201,823), France (174,674), Sweden (77,281), Belgium (63,893), Netherlands (51,670), Portugal (48,636), Poland (40,104), Romania (37,458), Ireland (25,760), Austria (19,571), Czechia (13,945), Denmark (13,173), Norway (9,015), Bulgaria (8,733), Finland (7,338), Luxembourg (5,483), Croatia (4,354), Hungary (4,333), Greece (4,007), Estonia (2,021), Slovakia (1,979), Slovenia (1,946), Lithuania (1,932), Iceland (1,930), Latvia (1,192), Cyprus (1,038), Malta (676) and Liechtenstein (87).

Confirmed deaths in Europe180,586 deaths. (This marks an increase of 586 deaths compared to the previous update. In brackets: total number):

United Kingdom (45,300), Italy (35,045), France (30,152), Spain (28,420), Belgium (9,800), Germany (9,086), Netherlands (6,129), Sweden (5,619), Romania (2,026), Ireland (1,753), Portugal (1,689), Poland (1,624), Austria (711), Denmark (611), Hungary (596), Czechia (359), Finland (328), Bulgaria (300), Norway (255), Greece (194), Croatia (120), Luxembourg (111), Slovenia (111), Lithuania (80), Estonia (69), Latvia (31), Slovakia (28), Cyprus (19), Iceland (10), Malta (9) and Liechtenstein (1).

COVID-19 Diseases Worldwide

However a total of 14,745,415 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide.

Of these, 1,865,504 diseases are attributable to the USA and 83,682 to Mainland China.

The number of deaths worldwide is currently 610,797.

Of these, 143,536 diseases are attributable to the USA and 4,634 to Mainland China.

Worldwide, 8,593,826 people have already recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19).

Coronavirus Cases - Following deaths have so far been reported by following countries:
(Sorted by total deaths)

 

Countries, Regions Total Cases New Cases Total Deaths New Deaths Total Recovered
USA 3,928,642 30,092 143,536 247 1,814,158
Brazil 2,102,559 2,663 79,590 57 1,371,229
UK 295,372 580 45,312 12 N/A
Mexico 344,224 5,311 39,184 296 217,423
Italy 244,624 190 35,058 13 197,162
France 174,674 30,152 79,233
Spain 307,335 28,420 N/A
India 1,153,824 35,717 28,099 596 724,702
Iran 276,202 2,414 14,405 217 240,087
Peru 353,590 13,187 241,955
Russia 777,486 5,940 12,427 85 553,602
Belgium 63,893 187 9,800 17,289
Germany 203,334 489 9,168 5 187,800
Canada 110,624 286 8,855 3 97,296
Chile 333,029 2,099 8,633 130 303,992
Colombia 197,278 6,736 91,793
Netherlands 51,910 185 6,136 N/A
Sweden 78,048 36 5,639 10 N/A
Pakistan 265,083 1,587 5,599 31 205,929
Turkey 220,572 931 5,508 17 203,002
Ecuador 74,013 5,313 31,901
South Africa 364,328 5,033 191,059
China 83,682 22 4,634 78,799
Egypt 87,775 4,302 28,380
Indonesia 88,214 1,693 4,239 96 46,977
Iraq 94,693 2,163 3,869 88 62,836
Bangladesh 207,453 2,928 2,668 50 113,556
Saudi Arabia 253,349 2,429 2,523 37 203,259
Argentina 126,755 2,281 21 55,913
Bolivia 59,582 1,444 2,151 45 18,553
Romania 38,139 681 2,038 12 22,747
Switzerland 33,634 43 1,971 2 30,300
Philippines 68,898 1,521 1,835 4 23,072
Ireland 25,766 6 1,753 23,364
Portugal 48,771 135 1,691 2 33,547
Poland 40,383 279 1,627 3 30,539
Ukraine 59,493 651 1,498 13 31,439
Guatemala 38,677 1,485 23,365
Afghanistan 35,526 51 1,185 4 23,741
Panama 53,468 1,096 28,482
Algeria 23,691 607 1,087 9 16,400
Kyrgyzstan 27,143 611 1,037 34 13,109
Dominican Republic 53,956 1,101 993 12 25,561
Japan 24,642 985 19,576
Honduras 33,835 1,042 900 9 3,801
Nigeria 36,663 789 15,105
Austria 19,743 88 711 17,659
Moldova 21,115 135 695 11 14,467
Sudan 10,992 693 5,707
Armenia 34,981 104 650 9 23,502
Denmark 13,262 89 611 12,251
Hungary 4,339 6 596 3,232
Belarus 66,213 118 503 4 58,290
Serbia 21,253 359 482 10 14,047
Yemen 1,606 445 712
North Macedonia 9,249 96 432 10 4,871
Israel 51,676 1,387 415 6 22,060
Kuwait 59,763 559 408 50,339
Kazakhstan 71,838 1,499 375 43,029
Cameroon 16,157 373 13,728
Azerbaijan 27,890 369 363 9 19,490
Czechia 13,975 30 359 8,813
El Salvador 12,207 361 344 9 6,831
UAE 57,193 271 340 1 49,621
Finland 7,340 5 328 6,880
Oman 68,400 1,739 326 8 45,150
Bulgaria 8,733 300 4,106
S. Korea 13,771 26 296 1 12,572
Morocco 17,562 326 276 3 15,132
Bosnia and Herzegovina 8,479 139 255 6 3,755
Norway 9,034 6 255 8,138
Kenya 13,771 418 238 4 5,616
DRC 8,443 40 194 4,335
Greece 4,007 194 1,374
Senegal 8,948 138 170 3 6,002
Ethiopia 9,503 167 2,430
Qatar 107,037 389 159 2 103,782
Mauritania 5,873 155 3,436
Ghana 27,667 148 23,249
Haiti 7,053 146 3,877
Bahrain 36,422 128 2 32,372
Zambia 3,326 178 128 8 1,620
Australia 12,069 267 123 1 8,444
Malaysia 8,800 21 123 8,555
Croatia 4,370 25 122 2 3,101
Mali 2,475 121 1,851
Albania 4,171 81 113 1 2,352
Slovenia 1,953 7 113 1 1,603
Venezuela 11,891 112 3,972
Luxembourg 5,639 34 111 4,464
Nicaragua 3,147 99 2,282
Somalia 3,119 93 1,457
Ivory Coast 14,119 92 8,366
Uzbekistan 17,149 542 90 5 9,387
Cuba 2,446 87 2,308
Lithuania 1,947 15 80 1,601
Chad 889 75 801
Liberia 1,107 16 70 547
Estonia 2,021 69 1,912
Niger 1,104 69 1,014
Sierra Leone 1,711 66 1 1,261
Palestine 8,916 367 63 1 1,921
Costa Rica 11,114 62 2,966
Madagascar 7,153 104 62 3 3,788
Malawi 2,992 85 62 3 1,153
Thailand 3,250 1 58 3,096
Djibouti 5,020 9 56 4,868
CAR 4,485 55 1,348
Burkina Faso 1,065 13 53 901
Andorra 884 4 52 803
Equatorial Guinea 3,071 51 842
Tunisia 1,381 7 50 1,099
Congo 2,633 49 626
Libya 1,980 114 49 1 441
Channel Islands 583 47 529
Gabon 6,315 46 3,865
South Sudan 2,211 11 45 2 1,175
San Marino 699 42 656
Lebanon 2,905 46 41 1 1,562
Nepal 17,844 186 40 11,868
Guinea 6,544 39 5,511
Mayotte 2,808 26 38 1 2,591
French Guiana 6,655 37 4,272
Uruguay 1,054 33 922
Montenegro 2,188 32 385
Benin 1,602 31 782
Latvia 1,192 31 1,022
Paraguay 3,721 31 1,918
Angola 705 29 221
Syria 522 26 29 4 154
Slovakia 1,980 1 28 1,538
Singapore 48,035 123 27 44,371
Guinea-Bissau 1,949 26 803
Zimbabwe 1,611 25 472
Isle of Man 336 24 312
Eswatini 1,826 33 23 2 850
New Zealand 1,554 1 22 1,506
Cabo Verde 2,045 21 973
Suriname 1,029 21 627
Tanzania 509 21 183
Cyprus 1,038 19 845
Guyana 336 19 163
Georgia 1,039 11 16 1 900
Maldives 2,999 33 15 2,369
Martinique 262 15 98
Sint Maarten 79 15 63
Togo 778 15 551
Guadeloupe 195 14 172
Sao Tome and Principe 746 14 451
Diamond Princess 712 13 651
Hong Kong 1,959 73 12 1,302
Bahamas 153 11 91
Jordan 1,223 5 11 1,028
Mozambique 1,507 16 11 1 505
Sri Lanka 2,730 6 11 2,041
Iceland 1,930 10 1,907
Jamaica 790 16 10 693
Mauritius 343 10 331
Bermuda 153 9 137
Malta 677 9 664
Trinidad and Tobago 137 8 124
Barbados 105 7 91
Taiwan 455 7 440
Myanmar 341 6 278
Rwanda 1,582 5 834
Gambia 93 4 49
Monaco 109 4 98
Namibia 1,344 97 4 1 42
Antigua and Barbuda 76 3 57
Aruba 113 3 100
Brunei 141 3 138
Réunion 631 3 3 472
Saint Martin 46 3 39
Belize 40 2 22
MS Zaandam 9 2
Turks and Caicos 81 6 2 22
Botswana 522 1 48
British Virgin Islands 8 1 7
Burundi 310 1 207
Cayman Islands 203 1 200
Curaçao 28 1 24
Liechtenstein 86 1 81
Montserrat 12 1 10
Western Sahara 10 1 8
Anguilla 3 3
Bhutan 89 2 82
Cambodia 171 136
Caribbean Netherlands 10 7
Dominica 18 18
Eritrea 251 155
Faeroe Islands 191 188
Falkland Islands 13 13
Fiji 27 1 18
French Polynesia 62 60
Gibraltar 180 180
Greenland 13 13
Grenada 23 23
Laos 19 19
Macao 46 46
Mongolia 287 213
New Caledonia 22 21
Papua New Guinea 16 8
Saint Kitts and Nevis 17 15
Saint Lucia 23 19
Saint Pierre Miquelon 4 1
Seychelles 108 27
St. Barth 6 6
St. Vincent Grenadines 50 6 29
Timor-Leste 24 24
Uganda 1,069 4 1,071
Vatican City 12 12
Vietnam 384 1 360
Total: 14,745,415 117,434 610,797 2,298 8,593,826

 

Important Note on the Austria Data:

Vindobona.org obtains the current information on the total number of infected, recovered and deceased persons as well as the figures for the status of these cases in the provinces from the official list of the Ministry of Health (Ministry of Social Affairs - BMSGPK Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz).

With regard to the accuracy and timeliness of the figures and data of the Ministry of Health related to Austria, the following should be noted.

If a suspicious case is reported by a health authority, it will be tested immediately for the presence of coronavirus infection.

In the course of the day, new suspected cases as well as test results may cause the number of suspected cases to fluctuate several times.

For this reason, and to avoid misunderstandings, the number of tests performed to date and the number of laboratory-confirmed infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 will also be communicated on the Vindobona.org website as soon as the Ministry of Health has confirmed the results.

Only cases that have been reported to the Ministry of Health are listed here. Since this is a very dynamic situation, there may be discrepancies between the information provided by the Ministry of Health, other agencies (e.g., the states) and Vindobona.org.

The Ministry updates these statistics twice a day, usually between 8.00 and 9.00 (with a time stamp of 8.00) and between 15.00 and 16.00 (with a time stamp of 15.00).

Vindobona.org follows this schedule as closely as possible.

Austrian government wants to increase test capacity strongly

As of March 24, 2020, the government has announced a major increase in coronavirus testing capacity. "The most important goal is: testing, testing, testing," said Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in a press conference with Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer and Health Minister Rudolf Anschober.

Coronavirus tests also in Salzburg

Coronavirus testing is also possible in Salzburg. According to the Salzburg State Clinics (SALK), patients can also be tested for coronavirus infections at the University Hospital. Previously, the samples had to be sent to the Centre for Virology at the Medical University of Vienna.

Health Minister Anschober continues emphasizing that there is no reason for excitement at the moment, but that it needs the greatest attention and international coordination. This is well ensured by the Austrian health authorities in all areas.

Below you will also find frequently asked questions and answers on the novel coronavirus.

What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses (CoV) form a large family of viruses that can cause mild colds to severe pneumonia in humans. Other coronaviruses can cause a variety of infectious diseases in animals. Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and humans.

Coronaviruses include the MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which first appeared in humans in 2012, and the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), first detected in 2003.

In 2020, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified in China that has never been detected in humans before.

How dangerous is this novel coronavirus?

It is not yet possible to say exactly how dangerous the pathogen is. At the moment, the new coronavirus appears to be much less dangerous than MERS (up to 30 percent mortality) and SARS (approx. 10 percent mortality). The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is currently expected to have a mortality rate of up to three percent. Similar to the seasonal influenza virus (mortality below 1 percent), it mainly affects elderly people and immunocompromised persons.

How contagious is this novel coronavirus?

According to information available to date, there is a possibility of human-to-human transmission. Nevertheless, the risk of human-to-human transmission appears to be significantly lower than for seasonal flu.

What is the manifestation of the disease?

Infections of humans with common coronaviruses are usually mild and asymptomatic. Common signs of infection with the novel coronavirus include fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. There are also mild forms (symptoms of a cold) and infections without symptoms.

It is currently believed that the course of the disease is less severe in the novel coronavirus than in SARS and MERS.

How is the disease treated?

There is no vaccine. Treatment is symptomatic, i.e. by alleviating the symptoms of the disease, such as antipyretics.

How can one protect oneself against coronaviruses?

As with seasonal influenza, the following measures are recommended:

  • Wash your hands several times a day with soap and water
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (not with your hands) if you cough or sneeze
  • Avoid direct contact with sick people

Can masks (disposable face masks) protect?

Disposable face masks are not an effective protection against viruses or bacteria that are transmitted in the air. But they can help reduce the risk of the virus spreading by "splashing" from sneezing or coughing.

Is there a travel warning for China?

There is a high security risk (security level 3) in the Chinese province of Hubei due to the spread of the coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The Foreign Ministry advises against unnecessary travel. Further information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Is there a risk from Chinese tourists and travellers from China?

As with all infectious diseases, long-distance travel poses a certain risk for the worldwide spread of pathogens. However, the WHO does not currently recommend any travel or trade restrictions.

There are no direct flights between Austria and the primarily affected region in China.

The Chinese authorities report that travel connections to and from Wuhan (airport, railway stations, bus stations) have been suspended at present in order to further contain the spread of the disease, as most cases are still recorded in Wuhan or have a concrete travel connection to Wuhan. Residents of Wuhan are therefore only allowed to leave the central Chinese city if special reasons are given.

What happens if a sick person lands in Austria by plane?

If suspicious symptoms are registered in a passenger on board a landing aircraft, the ground staff is informed and special preparations are made.

What happens if a suspicious or sick person is detected in Austria?

If a suspicious case occurs, special safety criteria are applied, which are set by the Ministry of Health: For example, a sick person is isolated, contact persons who do not show any symptoms are informed and receive medical care for two weeks (regular temperature measurement). Tests are only carried out if these contacts show symptoms of a disease. All measures are aimed at ensuring that as few people as possible in Austria are infected by the pathogen.

Can the coronavirus be transmitted by trade goods from China?

There are no indications that trade goods pose a risk. The cases diagnosed so far indicate close contact with diseased persons as a source of infection. The primary source of the outbreak is assumed to be an animal or animal food on a fish market in Wuhan.

I will travel to China soon. What precautions should I take?

Based on the information currently available, the World Health Organization has not recommended any restrictions on travel or trade. You should check the latest travel advice before you leave.

Travellers to China should note the following during their stay:

Avoid contact with sick people Avoid contact with animals (alive or dead) Markets involving live animals or animal products should be avoided Wash your hands regularly with soap and water Where can travellers coming from China go to find out if they are infected?

If you suspect that you have been infected with the corona virus and are showing symptoms such as fever, contact your family doctor by phone or call the Health Advisory Service on 1450. Never go directly to the doctor to prevent possible infection of others.

Can I get tested for coronavirus? Where (family doctor?), how long does it take to get a result?

The doctor will decide whether you are indeed a suspected case and, if so, arrange for the test to be carried out. The result will be available within a few hours.

Laboratory Diagnostics in Austria?

Virus nucleic acid detection is possible after calling the Centre for Virology at the Medical University of Vienna (Zentrum für Virologie an der Medizinischen Universität Wien).

Suitable sample material for PCR-diagnostics are

Bronchoalveolar lavages
Tracheal secretion
Sputum (= sputum)
Throat rinse water
Swabs (e.g. throat, nasal cavity)

How are hospitals prepared?

With regard to hospital hygiene measures in the event of suspected and confirmed cases of illness, the procedure is currently analogous to SARS and MERS and is to be carried out according to the specifications of the local hospital hygiene team.

In general, only the isolation of patients is recommended, as well as the wearing of protective clothing for the staff (gown, mask, goggles).

Coronavirus Hotline of the "AGES -Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit" in Austria

Phone: 0800 555 621
Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00

Link for further information:

Check the WHO Dashboard for more information on the Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.