Statistical figures from the German Robert Koch Institute: Not normal tourists, but travel returnees with a migration background are responsible for the majority of new infections

Covid-19 infection counts:Probably most people have suspected it, but one hardly dared to say it, until now a statistic of the German Robert Koch Institute on COVID-19 infections of travel returnees has been published: It is not primarily the tourists who carry the corona virus in their luggage, but to a large extent also native travel returnees with a migration background who carry the virus from their family visits abroad. But also party-happy young people who returned to Germany from Spain and Croatia were infected. According to the RKI, the proportion of positively tested returnees accounts for 39% of all new infections in Germany.

RKI confirmed: Croatian party tourism causes high infection rates

On the RKI website it says literally:

„Table 6 lists the top 15 countries that were most frequently named as likely countries of infection for transmitted COVID-19 cases in the last four weeks of reporting (30 to 33). A total of 15,942 cases were reported. The countries most frequently named as likely countries of infection were countries of the Western Balkans, Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain, Romania and Poland. When looking at the different age groups (not shown), it is noticeable that among the cases cited for Kosovo and Turkey, children and middle-aged persons are more likely to be affected, which points to possible travel within the family group. On the other hand, in the cases with probable country of infection Spain and Croatia, persons between 20-24 years of age are more likely to be affected, which in turn indicates that the disease is more likely to be caused by pleasure tourism.“

Management Report RKI Page 13: Daily Situation Report of the RKI on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Probable country of infection Number of entries:

Infection figures from NRW confirm the trend

This is also confirmed in the report of the Agency Reuters, which refers to figures from the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Health and the Robert Koch Institute. For example, 36.3% of those returning from Kosovo who tested positive in North Rhine-Westphalia travelled to NRW from Kosovo, 19.9% from Turkey, 6.2% from Croatia and 4.1% from Serbia. However, classic holiday destinations of many NRW citizens hardly affect the statistics: 2.5 % had been infected in Spain, 0.5 % in Greece. Here, Croatia ranks third in the NRW statistics.

“Normal” holidaymakers with rather low infection rates

What does this statement mean in plain language: The problem is not the “normal” tourists who spend their holidays abroad, including in Croatia, while observing distance and hygiene rules and wearing masks, but rather returning travellers who have visited their families living abroad and have become infected with the corona virus there rather unconsciously. Against this background, which has been statistically proven for the first time, many people should probably reconsider their holiday plans, because the danger is obviously not only at the holiday destination, but also at home.

Average age of infected travel returnees Croatia: 20 – 24 years

However, with one exception: the average age of infected returnees from Croatia (and Spain) is between 20 and 24 years. Even the serious Robert-Koch-Institut uses in this context the reserved term “pleasure tourism”, which is also colloquially known as party tourism could better describe.

And Austria?

Although these Covid-19 infection figures apply exclusively to Germany, the extent to which they can be transferred to Austria is something that each individual may judge for himself. Whoever is currently in Croatia or is planning a holiday in Croatia does not have to have a guilty conscience based on the infection figures published for the first time. After all, water sports enthusiasts have always known it: you are safe on board, even from the corona virus.