Slovak Government says COVID-19 has been confirmed in 14 Romani settlements

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, has already been confirmed in 14 Romani-inhabited settlements in Slovakia. The Slovak Press Agency (SITA) reported the news yesterday and attributed the announcement to MEP Peter Pollák, an expert from the governing OĽaNO movement on Romani issues, who informed them prior to Wednesday's session of the Central Crisis Team.

According to the MEP, so far 110 Romani localities have been tested and there are conditions for at-home quarantine in the locations where COVID-19 has been identified. Vladimír Krčméry, another member of the team, also told SITA that nursery schools and other schools could begin to open.

"[Closed schools are] tying up the nurses, physicians and other professionals whom we need because they are caring for their family members at home," he said. According to the Slovak PM, the problem of the pandemic in the settlements must be addressed.

"More than 10 % of the settlements we have tested are positive [for COVID-19]," the PM said. A stricter regime may also await residential social services facilities, where Krčméry said the tempo of testing should accelerate.