Published 17:43 IST, March 30th 2020
Coronavirus: Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky tests positive, working in isolation
Kretinsky said he contracted coronavirus on March 12, he, however, did not show symptoms. At least 27 people exposed to the high-profile Czech were tested.
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A Czech billionaire and the CEO of the European energy holding group EPH, Daniel Kretinsky, has reportedly announced that he has been working in quarantine after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He was quoted by the European daily as saying that he contracted the disease on March 12, he, however, did not show any symptoms. At least 27 people who have been exposed to him were also tested, although their results came back negative, confirmed media reports.
According to reports, the business tycoon realized that he could be infected when he noticed mild cold symptoms. He had no high temperature or cough, or any respiratory problems. The Czech coal and gas magnate, Kretinsky recently boosted purchases of coal-power assets across European markets, including in Germany, Italy, and Britain. He has reportedly also invested in media and retail groups. He is one of the prominent stakeholders at the German retailer Metro and French group Casino. The Czech industrialist is also a 49 per cent holding entity of the French daily Le Monde.
The dearth of masks, and respirators
Czech had earlier reported a critical dearth of medical-grade masks and respirators, as the country dug out sewing machines to “create” them. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis in a televised address to the nation encouraged people to amass courage to address the needs in “difficult times”. A “Czechs sew face masks” Facebook page was created with 36,000 followers to promote the manufacture of muted blue face masks. Among many celebrities and influential Czechs, wife of late Czech president Vaclav Havel, also joined the movement. The Prison Service was distributed sewing machines and equipment to compensate for the shortage of protective masks. It reckons that inmates had a capacity to produce up to 50,000 masks per month, according to state media reports. Olomouc, a city in the east of the country, appeared to generate maximum production.
17:53 IST, March 30th 2020