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Austria was quick to enforce a lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 and was also among the first European countries to begin loosening restrictions. However, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen faced criticism for breaching lockdown rules himself when he was found in a restaurant 80 minutes after it closed. In another incident, a patient awaiting a coronavirus test escaped from a hospital in Salzburg, sparking a police hunt. The woman, who had recently returned from New Zealand via Taiwan, was found by the police around seven hours later at her home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Austrian President's breach of lockdown rules | In May 2020, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen was found in a restaurant 80 minutes after it closed, breaching the country's coronavirus restrictions. |
| Patient awaiting coronavirus test escapes from Austrian hospital | In February 2020, a 31-year-old woman who was to be tested for coronavirus escaped from a hospital in Salzburg, Austria, sparking a police hunt. |
| Austrian woman convicted of fatally infecting neighbor with COVID-19 | In September 2024, a 54-year-old Austrian woman was found guilty of transmitting COVID-19 to her neighbor, a cancer patient who died of pneumonia caused by the virus. |
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What You'll Learn
Austrian President breaks lockdown rules
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has apologised for breaching his government's lockdown rules. Mr Van der Bellen and his wife were found in the garden of an Italian restaurant with drinks on their table at 18 minutes past midnight on a Sunday morning. As Austria's coronavirus restrictions had only been eased recently, restaurants were only allowed to let customers on the premises between 6am and 11pm.
Under the country's lockdown rules, any individual found to be in breach of the law can be fined up to €3,600 (£3,200), while restaurateurs can be fined up to €30,000 (£26,800). It was debated among legal experts whether Mr Van der Bellen had actually broken the law, as he did not step onto the premises after the 11pm curfew started, but rather remained where he was after it had begun. Austrian newspapers have suggested that it is theoretically allowed for customers to remain in a restaurant after the curfew begins, as long as the venue is clearly closed, the kitchen and bar are locked, and no food and drink are served.
The Vienna city administration said that police were aware of all the relevant facts and that a decision on whether to take action would follow after the responsible district offices had examined the details. In order for Mr Van der Bellen to be sanctioned, any action against him would need to be approved by the Federal Assembly, according to the Kronen Zeitung newspaper. Austria was quick to enforce a lockdown to combat COVID-19 and has also been among the first European countries to begin loosening restrictions.
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Patient awaiting coronavirus test escapes from Austrian hospital
A 31-year-old woman, who was awaiting a coronavirus test, escaped from a hospital in Salzburg, Austria, sparking panic and a police hunt in the city. The patient, who was admitted to the University Clinic Salzburg on Tuesday after suffering breathing problems on a flight from New Zealand via Taiwan, left the hospital premises around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. The motive for her escape was unclear, but authorities were concerned about who she may have come into contact with during the seven hours she was missing. She was eventually found by the police at her home near the city around 10 a.m. and returned to the hospital, where she was questioned and kept under police watch.
The woman was a suspected case of the novel coronavirus, which had broken out in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. The virus had spread fear worldwide, with over 24,000 cases and nearly 500 deaths, almost all in China. The World Health Organisation stated that the outbreak did not yet constitute a pandemic. The little-understood virus, which had symptoms similar to the flu, was thought to spread through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing and possibly through contaminated fecal matter. There was no evidence that it was airborne.
The escape of the patient from the Austrian hospital is an example of the fear and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. The public and authorities were right to be concerned about the potential spread of the virus, and the case highlights the importance of taking precautions and following protocols to prevent the further transmission of the disease. The woman's escape also underscores the potential challenges in managing a public health crisis, especially when dealing with individuals who may be afraid, confused, or reluctant to seek medical care. Overall, this incident is a reminder of the complexities of dealing with a global health emergency and the need for clear communication, public education, and effective containment strategies.
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Austria enforces lockdown to combat Covid-19
Austria was one of the first European countries to enforce a lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19. The country was also quick to begin loosening restrictions, with small gatherings, public parks, shops, and garden centres all open by late April to early May. Despite the country's quick action, the Austrian President, Alexander Van der Bellen, was caught breaching lockdown rules in May 2020. He was found in a restaurant 80 minutes after it closed and could have faced a personal fine of up to €3,200.
In February 2020, a 31-year-old woman awaiting coronavirus testing escaped from a hospital in Salzburg, Austria, sparking a police hunt. The woman, who had recently returned from New Zealand via Taiwan, was found by the police around seven hours later at her home near the city. She was then placed under police watch at the hospital until her condition could be clarified.
Austria's lockdown rules included a curfew that mandated restaurants only allow customers on the premises between 6 am and 11 pm. Individuals found breaking this law could be fined up to €3,600, while restaurateurs could be fined up to €30,000. Despite these strict rules, there was some debate over whether the President had actually broken the law, as he did not step onto the premises after the curfew started but remained there after it had begun.
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Austrian newspapers suggest lockdown loopholes
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen faced a fine of up to €3,200 after he was found in a restaurant 80 minutes after it closed, in breach of the country's coronavirus lockdown rules. The Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported that Mr Van der Bellen and his wife were found with drinks on their table in the restaurant garden at 18 minutes past midnight on Sunday morning. While Austria's coronavirus restrictions had been eased, restaurants were only allowed to let customers on the premises between 6 am and 11 pm.
Austrian newspapers suggested that it was theoretically allowed for customers to remain in a restaurant after the curfew begins, as long as the venue is clearly closed, the kitchen and bar are locked, and no food and drink are served. There was some debate among legal experts on whether he had actually broken the law, as he did not step onto the premises after the 11 pm curfew started, but rather remained there after it had begun. The Vienna city administration said that the police were aware of all the relevant facts and that a decision on whether to take action would follow after the responsible district offices had examined the details. For Mr Van der Bellen to be sanctioned, any action against him would need to be approved by the Federal Assembly, according to Kronen Zeitung.
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Covid-19 outbreak in China
The COVID19 outbreak, which began in Wuhan, China, in early 2020, caused widespread health and economic disruptions globally. The pandemic emerged from a mysterious pathogen from Wuhan, a city few outside China had visited. On 12 January 2020, China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the virus's genome, revealing it to be a coronavirus closely related to SARS.
The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, spiralled out of control due to a combination of factors, including medical myopia, bureaucratic incompetence, or something more sinister, according to some. China's initial response to the outbreak prioritized dominance and control over transparency, with censorship of social media posts and disciplinary actions against medical whistleblowers. This squandered the country's reserves of trust and its authoritarian advantage.
The city of Shanghai, China, experienced another COVID-19 outbreak beginning on February 28, 2022, caused by the Omicron variant. This outbreak posed a challenge to Shanghai's COVID-19 response, as the city had previously taken a more relaxed approach compared to other Chinese cities. The outbreak resulted in substantial economic and social disruption across Shanghai, with consequences felt throughout China. Authorities responded with mass COVID-19 testing and a strict lockdown to uphold the country's zero-COVID policy.
In late 2024, hospitals in China were overwhelmed by outbreaks of Influenza A and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), resembling the COVID-19 surge from a few years prior. HMPV has been around since 2001 but saw a recent surge in China, primarily affecting children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
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Frequently asked questions
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen apologised for breaching his government's lockdown rules. He was found in a restaurant 80 minutes after it closed. He could face a personal fine of up to €3,200.
Under Austria's coronavirus restrictions, restaurants were only allowed to let customers on the premises between 6am and 11pm.
A 31-year-old woman who was to be tested for coronavirus escaped from the University Clinic Salzburg, sparking a police hunt. She was found by the police around 7 hours later in her home near the city.
Gatherings of up to 10 people had been allowed since the start of May, while public parks, small shops and garden centres had been open since late April.
As of May 2020, Austria has been among the first European countries to begin loosening restrictions.
