Czech officials said Friday that the coronavirus spread remains under control almost two weeks after shopping malls, cinemas and restaurant terraces reopened as part of an extensive easing of lockdown measures. "The massive easing of May 11 did not affect the epidemiological curve," Health Minister Adam Vojtech told reporters. The EU member of 10.7 million people, which has registered 8,757 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 306 deaths, is now seeing ever more cured individuals and fewer hospitalised patients. "The epidemiological situation is very stable... very positive," Ladislav Dusek, head of the Czech Institute of Health Information and Statistics, told reporters. "There is no blanket threat following the easing. We only need to monitor local problems." The disease spread this week among workers at the northern Darkov mine. Some 130 people tested positive but none required hospital care. "Besides, we have several smaller centres in Prague, but these are the only two regions where we see a problem," said Vojtech. On May 25, the Czech Republic will further ease measures adopted in mid-March when the virus began to spread. Authorities will allow events with up to 300 people and reopen restaurants, hotels, castles, zoos and swimming pools. As of that date, Czechs will no longer be obliged to wear face masks in public except in shops and on public transport. A day later, the country will switch from blanket border checks to random checks, but it will still request a negative test from those entering the country. frj/amj/wdb