LOC14:03
11:03 GMT
VIENNA, July 9 (KUNA) -- Austrian authorities declared on Thursday recording 99 new coronavirus infections raising the tally to 18,517.
Whole number of deaths remained at 706 cases, the ministry of health said in a statement, adding that 675,000 persons had done the swap test and 16,758 patients recovered over the past hours.
The ministry has added that 78 patients continue to receive medical treatment at hospitals, in addition to 12 critical cases under close monitoring at intensive care units.
Upper Austria has reinstated a regulation that wearing protective masks and maintaining social distancing are mandatory.
The authorities have warned they will re-impose stringent protective measures nationwide "if necessary."
They reduced, last month, these precautions against the virus, obliging people to put on the masks only in necessary situations.
Restaurants and cafes are currently reopening till 1 a.m. (local time) as normal, instead of 11 p.m. during peak of the coronavirus crisis. (end)
maa.rk