Shipping delays to Prague blamed on virus

Shipping along the Czech river network has snarled because of delays in completing construction work along a canal connecting the Elbe river to the Vltava. Workers at the construction company that was completing work on a bridge over the canal were placed in quarantine. The server zdopravy.cz writes that this has caused delays in completion of the project, since it took time to round up enough replacements to allow work to continue. With the canal already without water for two months, this has only extended the period during which it's been impossible for ships to deliver vital commodities to Prague. This includes gravel needed by two cement companies owned by the construction group Metrostav. "This greatly affects us, our client is waiting for delivery," said the transport company Konakl's director Jan Vinkler, who had ordered 15 shiploads for the beginning of April. Construction work is again underway and it's expected that water could be allowed back into the canal by April 10.