The Covid-19 situation in the country is very worrying: Prof. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski

“The situation in the country is very worrying. In the past weeks we have been seeing a surge in the number of newly registered Covid-19 infections,”Prof. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski, Chairman of the National Operational Headquarters warned. During a meeting convened by the prime minister he expressed concern that hospital beds may run out. The surge in the incidence rate and in fatalities is also worrying.“Coronavirus incidence is up by over 13%. Over the past week the number of deaths has gone up by 12.4% -  from 9.6 per 100,000 people we have now reached 11.95,” he added. “The surge in the number of infections can only be checked using methods which are old-fashioned but effective. We cannot rely on the pandemic dying away by itself. There have to be measures,” Prof. Mutafchiyski said. 

There are no measures to curb the pandemic we would not impose: Minister of Health

“More than 70% of the Covid-19 test samples in the country are of the British variant. No Nigerian variant of the virus has been registered,” said Health Minister Kostadin Angelov in Kyustendil. “The situation in the country is serious. In some places medical establishments are under severe pressure. There are no measures we would not impose, closing restaurants, shopping malls, gyms, sports, whatever it takes,” Minister Angelov said. He stated that where necessary in the country school children will stay home and switch to remote learning, and that includes younger children and kindergartens, BGNES reports.

Sharp rise in number of newly infected people and Covid-19 deaths

2,995 new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in the past 24 hours after 17,056 tests, according to data of the Single Coronavirus Information Portal. Nearly 18% of the tests returned positive result. The highest number of newly infected is in Sofia - 802, followed by Plovdiv - 238, Varna - 169 and Shumen – 160. A total of 5,903 patients are in hospital as 503 of them are in intensive care wards. 150 people passed away and 1,228 recovered. The number of newly-infected medics is 51 as the total number of Covid-19 cases among medics since the beginning of the epidemic has reached 10,506. Yesterday, 5,501 citizens were vaccinated and with them the total number reached 294,132. A total of 50,653 people have already received their second dose of vaccine.

Health and Fitness Association concerned about possible closure of fitness centers and dance studios

The Bulgarian Health and Fitness Association is concerned about the intention of this country’s Minister of Health to close again fitness centers, sports halls, dance studios and facilities for amateur art and sports. The Bulgarian Health and Fitness Association warns that a possible third closure of sports centers will practically destroy their sector. The association invites Bulgaria’s Minister of Health and the members of the National Operational Headquarters to a public debate to discuss their decisions. The association called the intentions of Bulgaria's Minister of Health unfounded and unacceptable, reported BTA.

Restaurateurs oppose idea of new restrictions

The Bulgarian Association of Establishments and the Association of Restaurants in Bulgaria have described any tightening of measures related to their business as "absolutely unacceptable”. Yesterday, the Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov announced that various measures were being considered for the regions with the highest coronavirus incidence. Branch organizations oppose the ideas for a new closure, declaring that they would accept only the already announced measures and dates. Restaurateurs also call for immediate payment of the promised 20 percent of turnover for the months in which the restaurants were closed and say they are ready to be "more direct" in protecting their rights.

Epidemic could end this year, if we follow the vaccination plan

Immunization and periodic lockdowns lasting for about 20 to 30 days will help control the pandemic by the end of the year, indicate estimates of mathematicians from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, presented at a press conference today. If the current rate of vaccination was preserved, the end of the Covid-19 epidemic will come in the middle of next year, when 70% of Bulgarians would have encountered the disease, Prof. Ognyan Kunchev from the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at BAS has told BNR. According to him, by that time the number of coronavirus victims in this country would reach 50,000 as the current number is 10,764.

Compiled by: Vesela Krasteva

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