An investigation has been launched into a bar at the popular Ischgl resort, in the province of Tyrol, after a German barman reportedly fell ill in February.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

The resort has been linked to hundreds of cases in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and other parts of Austria.

It has been alleged that the slopes and bars at the resort stayed open, despite a worker at the Kitzloch bar falling ill.

Visitors from all over Europe began testing positive for the killer bug after returning from the town in early March.

The bar was not shut until March 10 and the town was closed on March 13.

Werner Kurz, the mayor of Ischgl, told German newspaper Der Spiegel the shut down was "a catastrophe" for the town, saying: "We implemented all regulations in a timely manner".

Ischgl is a small town of about 1,500 people in the Austrian Alps and is famous for its nightlife and annual concerts at the end of the ski season.

Authorities in Iceland raised the alarm when 15 passengers on a flight from the region tested positive for Covid-19.

Austrian authorities reportedly denied there was a problem as skiiers from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany all started to test positive after being there.

Norway's health ministers believe 491 of the country's 1,198 cases had been skiing in the region.

The village's infection rate is double that of Vienna – the Austrian capital of two million people.

Regional authorities said this morning that there have been 1,020 confirmed cases in the village and as of Sunday there have been 456 confirmed cases in Vienna.

German media have branded the resort "the breeding ground" of coronavirus.

Tyrolean authorities posted a statement thanking "our guests, employees, hoteliers, restaurants and locals for a short but wonderful season 2019/2020".

It added: "In the 14 days of quarantine, we will still have to deal with a variety of tasks. It is necessary that we take care of each other and support each other."

Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic as more than 100,000 people are confirmed to have been infected across the continent – with Italy the worst-affected country.

Austria has nearly 4,000 cases and 21 deaths as the government is mobilising its military reserves for the first time since World War Two.

The country still has a compulsory military services where men must serve six months in the army or nine months in a civilian service when they reach 18.

The government will deploy 3,000 soldiers – about 10 per cent of its reserves – fir three months to help fight the coronavirus.

Source: Read Full Article