Slovakia proposes lockdown amid record infection surge

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s leaders have proposed a national lockdown as hospitals across the European Union country are hitting their limits amid a record surge of coronavirus infections. Inspired by neighboring Austria, the government is to discuss a lockdown for everyone — vaccinated and unvaccinated alike — on Wednesday. President Zuzana Caputova says “it’s an unpopular measure, but absolutely unavoidable.” Prime Minister Eduard Heger says it’s necessary to act “immediately.” His coalition government is mulling a two or three week lockdown. Slovakia reported a record 9,171 new virus cases on Friday, surpassing the previous record set only days earlier. The Slovak president toured Bratislava University Hospital on Tuesday, saying what she saw “was tragic.”