PRAGUE — The Czech government has approved a plan for up to 300 military health personnel from NATO and EU countries to come to the Czech Republic to help treat the influx of coronavirus patients.

The day-to-day increase of new coronavirus infections soared to almost 15,000 on Wednesday. It is almost 3,000 more than the previous record set a day earlier.

Parliamentary approval is still needed for the plan because they are members of foreign armed forces. They will help their Czech colleagues at Prague’s military hospital and at a field hospital the armed forces have been building at Prague’s exhibition ground for 500 patients.

The first group of 28 National Guard doctors from the United States is scheduled to arrive in the county next week.

The government is acquiring 600 ventilators and other medical equipment needed at intensive care units. Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar says NATO will send another 60 ventilators.

The Czech Republic has been facing a surge for two months and a third of the cases have been recorded in last seven days. It has a total of 208,915 confirmed cases and 1,739 deaths.