Number Of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients In Croatia Up 110% - Newspaper
ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Croatia has increased by as much as 110% in the past 15 days, Jutarnji List daily said on Saturday, adding that the growing number of severe cases is worrying.
Although the actual figures do not seem so terrifying, because 135 people were receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19 on August 21, while their number on September 4 was 283, the trend is a serious cause for concern, the newspaper said.
The number of active cases in this period jumped by 47%, which is more than half the increase in the number of hospitalized patients, as the number of active cases rose from 1,841 on August 21 to 2,703 on September 4.
A further cause for concern is the fact that the share of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Croatia in the total number of infected people was 7.33% on August 21, while on September 4 it was 10.5%, Jutarnji List said, adding that the number of deaths in the said period rose from 169 to 195.
These figures are not surprising given that Croatia has been seeing negative trends for days now, and it was only logical that this situation would also affect the hospitals, which were not under too much strain this summer despite the constant presence of the virus. This was mostly due to the fact that symptoms of the disease were milder than those seen during the first wave of the epidemic from March to June, and the fact that people spent much more time outdoors, Jutarnji List said.
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Firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd Sniffs Out Wanted Man in Split
Saturday, 5 September 2020 – More than 100 policemen were searching for the escaped man, but in the end it was a firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd that sniffed him out.
When detainee Branimir Čaleta managed to escape from custody on September 2, armed police were immediately on his tail. They knew where to look – he was seen running in the direction of Turska kula and the Park Mladosti in Split, near the Poljud football stadium.
But, though more than 100 officers were searching for the wanted man, in the end, it was a firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd called Flip that sniffed him out.
The Malinois Belgian Shepherd is used by armed services, the police and for search and rescue all over the world © TC Perch
Details of Flip's assistance were revealed in an interview undertaken with the dog's handler, Split firefighter Joško Čule by the 24 sata news outlet. Although he was not allowed to reveal details of the fugitive's capture, Joško did speak about his dog.
Flip is a search dog of the Public Fire Brigade of the City of Split, a firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd. He was trained to search in all environments, from urban areas and ruins to wild nature, and in all weather conditions. He is a family dog, loves spending time with children, and with the firefighters. He is an active member of the firefighting team in Split and works every day. Flip is taken into the field when necessary and has so far participated in four searches for lost people. He found them all.
This firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd is just one of the types of Belgian Shepherd. The other three are called Groenendael, Laekenois, and Tervuren. In Belgium, their country of origin, all four types are considered to be varieties of a single breed, differentiated by hair color and texture. Elsewhere, they are sometimes considered separate breeds.
Flip, the firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd is typical in having tan to brown short hair with patches of black. Belgian Shepherd Dogs are highly intelligent, alert, and sensitive to everything going on around them, and they form very strong relationship bonds. They are loyal, intelligent, fun, make good family pets and are very receptive to being trained, thus explaining the position of this firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd.
A Belgian Shepherd with a close relative, a Dutch Shepherd © Marius Zopole
It is not only firefighters who use these dogs. They are used as search and rescue dogs by other services and as police and military dogs. They have a good reputation as sniffer dogs, particularly in the field of finding illegal drugs. Several Malinois Belgian Shepherds have been decorated for bravery. They are very protective of their owners and handlers.
The US Secret Service, Israel Defense Forces, Indian NSG commando unit and Royal Australian Air Force use Malinois Belgian Shepherds in their work. The breed is second in number only to the German Shepherd for use across the whole of the US Armed Forces.
The fugitive Branimir Čaleta ran away from police while he was at court in Split, where he was appearing charged with the murder of his one-time girlfriend, a Ukrainian national. Čaleta is now back in custody, thanks to Flip, the firefighters Malinois Belgian Shepherd.
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Tender for Energy Renewal of Croatian Family Homes Coming Soon
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 4th of September, 2020, the conditions for co-financing of the energy renewal of Croatian family homes will be the same as this year, and citizens will be able to receive up to 60 percent of the incentives for thermal insulation, roof repairs, new carpentry, and the installation of systems for the use of renewable energy sources.
After receiving 7,386 applications from citizens for co-financing the energy renovation of Croatian family homes, the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency recently announced the continuation of the programme in 2021. "Given the expressed interest in this programme, the Fund will announce a new Public Invitation worth around 200 million kuna in the first quarter of next year," announced the Fund's director Sinisa Kukic.
As previously stated, the conditions for co-financing will be the same as this year, and citizens will be able to receive up to 60 percent of the incentives for thermal insulation, roof repairs, new carpentry, and the installation of systems for the use of renewable energy sources. Given that documentation such as the energy certificate and the energy audit report is valid for several years, the Fund says that it will continue to be acceptable during the next call.
Almost 70 percent of the 7,386 requests received by the Fund in this year's public call are for the renovation of Croatian family homes that are energy class E and worse. Such houses consume up to four times more energy than today's construction standard. Most of them were built back in the 70s and 80s, when technical regulations didn't require the installation of thermal protection. The oldest house registered for renovation was built in 1850, and is one of about 20 houses built in the 19th century for which co-financing was requested. Over time, such Croatian family homes have become even more dilapidated, so energy renovation measures will improve their energy performance and their visual impression, and will also provide them with comfort and a healthier situation when within the premises.
The Fund will soon publish a public call for co-financing the use of renewable energy sources for the production of heat and/or cooling energy in households. Citizens will thus not have at their disposal 30 million kuna for the installation of biomass boilers, heat pumps and thermal solar collectors, and they can, depending on the area where the facility is located, count on 40 to 80 percent of the co-financing, or a maximum of 75,000 kuna.
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PHOTOS: Five Amazing New Murals Vukovar Street Art 2020
Sunday, 6 September 2020 – The Vukovar street art 2020 event VukovArt has just finished. Here are the five fantastic new works its left in the colourful Slavonian town.
The paints have dried, the scaffolding has been removed and all but the last few organisers have set off home. But, though VukovArt, the annual Vukovar street art 2020 has finished, the paintings from this year will remain.
These wonderful new works join a spectacular series of paintings which decorate the town, thanks to previous editions of VukovArt (you can check them ALL out on this link). Residents of the town now live their everyday lives among these incredible pieces of public art.
Here's a look at the Vukovar street art 2020 collection and a little from some of the artists who've made them.
OKO (Croatia)
Because he’s Mister Strength, Courage and Health
Human bodies, dressed in Victorian finery, topped with the heads of animals and, especially, birds; OKO's intricate and sometimes sinister designs have been seen at Zagreb’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the European Parliament in Brussels and in more proletarian spaces such as Zagreb’s Medika club and Theatre &TD. Her murals are often similar, only produced on an industrial scale.
"I chose to paint a bear because this animal often symbolises amazing strength and endurance," OKO told TCN. "When they invited me to paint in Vukovar it seemed like best possible symbolism for a city that endured so much and yet which still stands strong.
Boogie (Germany / Switzerland)
Boogie down Vukovar
Some 20 years ago, Boogie aka André Morgner formed the SML Crew in a region of eastern Germany not far from the Czech border. They've been active ever since, although Morgner himself moved to Switzerland. There, he's a now full-time artist, drawing his murals on walls of buildings, parks and offices, on commission for people like Google, Burton Snowboards and BMW. His pieces are vivid and contemporary in colour, but often take inspiration from the bragging tag work of vintage hip hop.
Tea Jurišić (Croatia)
Bora
Having worked in many different modes of visual art, Tea Jurišić is, to many, known more for her drawings, paintings and illustrations than she is her street art. Yet, she has created various murals in Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Norway. Since 2017 she has had 8 solo exhibitions in Croatia and overseas. She uses comedy and surrealism to add a playful edge to her simple storytelling.
"My challenge was a 300 square metre wall in the Olajnica neighbourhood, which I was painting between the 28th of August and the 3rd of September," said Tea. "The mural's name is Bora. It's the name of a fiercely strong wind that sometimes visits the coast of Croatia. I chose the name as I was trying to connect thematically two Croatian waters - the continental Danube river and the Adriatic sea. I relied on fresh colours that would bring a touch of summer to the gloomy days of winter that lie ahead. I tried to adapt the colours to the building, and the environment around the building. My experience in Vukovar was wonderful - from friendly people, a beautiful city and delicious food. It was an experience to remember for a lifetime."
Eugen Varzić (Croatia)
Future Freedom
A graduate of the Academy of Applied Arts in Rijeka, Eugen Varzić is something of a classicist operating inside wholly modern mediums. His paintings adorn city streets in Madrid, churches and the streets of his native Istria where, in Poreč, you'll also find his two mosaic sculptures, Trosjed and Konfin.
"This piece was a challange for me, because of the size, the positioning and the motif," Eugen said of his piece of Vukovar street art 2020. "The whole place used to be a military camp. After the fighting finished, they turned it into a memorial centre for the war, a kind of museum where you can see the planes, tanks, learn about Vukovar. Kids from all over Croatia come. There is a hostel where they can stay. When they asked me to paint this wall, because of where it is, that put some boundaries on my work. I had to think differently. This wall is not so easy to paint on – it's broken, it has windows, it's surrounded by steel, there are fire stairs."
"I decided on a half portrait of my daughter's smiling face. I wanted to show something happy and which looks forward into the future. Half of the face is pixalated, so it's clearly placed in the 21st century. I used squares within the piece because it's so connected to Croatia – you can see them on the shirts of the national team football players, on the Croatian flag. There are also 87 birds in the paintings. That number was chosen because there were 87 days of fighting before the town of Vukovar fell."
Arsek & Erase (Bulgaria)
The Golden Snake
Operating as a duo for 20 years, Arsek & Erase create playful, bright and colourful images - and highly memorable characters - using illustration and surrealism. They have painted works all over Europe, their own native Bulgaria, and in Russia, China, Taiwan, El Salvador and the United States.
All photos Vukovar street art 2020 © VukovArt
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Croatia Confirms 311 New Coronavirus Cases, Two Deaths in Last 24 Hours
ZAGREB, September 5, 2020 - A total of 311 new coronavirus cases and two deaths have been registered in Croatia in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team said on Saturday.
The number of active cases has reached 2,771, and 285 people are receiving hospital treatment, 19 of whom are on ventilators.
Since February 25, when the first case of infection with the novel virus was confirmed in Croatia, 11,739 people have been infected, of whom 197 have died and 8,771 have recovered.
Currently, 9,109 people are in self-isolation.
A total of 187,851 people have been tested to date, including 3,939 in the last 24 hours.
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Foreign Cruise Ships Make as Few as 16 Trips to Croatia in Jan-July
ZAGREB, September 5, 2020 - As a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, foreign cruise ships made as few as 16 trips to Croatia in the first seven months of 2020, which is a decline of 95.6% compared with the same period of 2019, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (DZS).
The 16 trips were made by seven cruise liners, whose number fell by nearly 88% compared with last year. Fifteen of the trips were made in the first quarter of the year, while one was made in July. The July trip brought 25 passengers who stayed in Croatia for six days, while in July last year 96 such trips were made with a total of 156,000 passengers.
In the first seven months of this year, the cruise ships brought slightly fewer than 3,800 passengers, which is a decline of 99.3% compared with the same period of last year when 368 trips brought 565,000 passengers.
Unlike the previous years, when cruise ships visiting the Croatian Adriatic flew the flags of more than 20 countries, this year they sailed under the flags of only five countries - Belgium, Greece, Italy, Malta and the Marshall Islands. Maltese-flagged ships maintained the lead over the years as 12 of the 16 trips this year were made under the Maltese flag.
The majority of the trips, or 75%, were made to Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the rest to Istria County.
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Flights to Croatia: Jet2 Cancels All 12 Lines to Croatia
September 5, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Jet2 cancels all 12 lines to Croatia, namely to Dubrovnik, Split and Pula.
Croatian Aviation reports that Jet2, a British airline focused on leisure passengers, is suspending traffic on all routes from the UK to Croatia. This is the result of the introduced restrictive measures for travelers coming from Croatia to the United Kingdom, which resulted in a significant drop in demand.
In the first half of July, Jet2 launched as many as 12 international routes to Croatia, from numerous British airports to Pula, Split and Dubrovnik, almost immediately after lifting restrictive measures in the UK. The company returned to the Croatian market, but with a significantly smaller number of routes and weekly flights compared to last summer season, thus adjusting its offer and capacity to current demand.
Jet2 stated the reasons for the cancellation, and in addition to flights to Croatia, the company is also suspending traffic to Spain.
"Due to the global pandemic and reduced demand, as well as due to the measures introduced for travelers coming to the UK from Croatia, we have decided to cancel all flights and travel arrangements for the rest of this summer season. Our last flight from Croatia this year will be on Sunday, September 6, 2020."
This week, the company will operate the last flights to and from Croatia and stop operating on as many as 12 scheduled flights to Dubrovnik, Split, and Pula:
Birmingham - Dubrovnik,
London Stansted - Dubrovnik,
Manchester - Dubrovnik,
Newcastle - Dubrovnik,
Birmingham - Split,
East Midlands - Split,
Leeds - Split,
London Stansted - Split,
Manchester - Split,
Birmingham - Pula,
Leeds - Pula
Manchester - Pula.
After the flights and tourist arrangements for this summer season were completely canceled by the British TUI, Jet2 was the only one that offered British tourists holiday packages in Croatia this summer season. The company achieved an average Load Factor (passenger cabin occupancy) of less than 40% on the lines operating to Croatia, which cannot be considered satisfactory.
Jet2 plans to return to Croatia in the spring of 2021, but this will certainly depend on the pandemic and restrictive measures.
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US Open: Petra Martic and Borna Coric Advance to Last 16!
September 5, 2020 - Great news just in from New York as Petra Martic and Borna Coric advanced to the last 16 of the US Open!
A new success for Petra Martic at the US Open, as Croatia's best female tennis player and 8th-seed of the tournament, advanced to the round of 16 on Friday, defeating Russian Varvara Gracheva (102nd on the WTA list) in two easy sets - 6:3, 6:3.
In the first set, the Russian player held the result at 1:1, and Petra took the 1-0 lead with two breaks.
Unfortunately, in the first game of the second set, Martic allowed Gracheva a new chance to break, but she returned immediately in the next game. After 3:1, Martic managed to save as many as five chances for Gracheva to reduce the score to 3:2, but the Russian still returned and served at 4:3.
Fortunately, Martic managed to lead 5:3 and served for the match. In the last game, Martic did not lose a single point and advanced to the 4th round of the US Open for the first time in her career.
Her opponent will be Kazakhstani player Yulia Putintseva, who beat Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. It will be the first meeting between Martic, currently the 15th best player in the world, and Putintseva, who is 35th in the WTA rankings.
After four hours and 38 minutes of play, Croatian tennis player Borna Coric also reached the last 16 of the US Open! Coric defeated the fourth seed, Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas, in five sets.
It seems that nothing can stop Borna Coric at this year's special edition of the US Open, including the sixth-best player in the world.
It was a marathon match that went to five sets, and in the fourth set, Coric achieved the impossible as he was down 2-1 and 5:1 and saved as many as six match points. The match ended 6-7(2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(4).
"I have to be honest and say that I was really lucky. I made some unbelievable returns, and I was a little bit lucky at the end. In the third and fourth set, he was playing unbelievable tennis, and I felt like I had no chance. In the fifth-set tie-break, I knew it was not going to be easy for him, so I tried to just keep the ball in court and make him play as many balls as possible," said Coric after the match for the ATP Tour.
In the last 16, Coric will face Australian Jordan Thompson, who convincingly defeated Mikhail Kukushkin in three sets.
Donna Vekic will face Tsvetana Pironkova in the third round on Saturday, while Marin Cilic will face Dominic Thiem in his third-round match.
Nikola Mektic and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof (8th-seed) advanced to the doubles quarterfinals of the US Open! The duo topped Italian-Argentine team Simone Bolelli / Maximo Gonzalez in the 2nd round match - 6:4, 6:3. After the semifinals of Wimbledon 2017 and Roland Garros 2018, this is their third-best result in men's doubles at the Grand Slam tournaments.
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New Travel Warning: Switzerland Includes Croatia on the Red List
September 5, 2020 - After Germany, Austria, and Slovenia placed Croatia or Croatian regions on the red list of countries risky for travel, a new blow has come, as Switzerland includes Croatia on the red list.
EZadar reports that according to the Swiss Federal Office of Health, Croatia will be included on the red list from Monday, September 7, 2020. Besides Croatia, Switzerland has included Ukraine and San Marino on the red list. Belgium and Luxembourg were removed from the list.
So, what does this mean?
People arriving in Switzerland from the countries on the red list are required to go into quarantine. A negative test result does not exempt travelers from the mandatory quarantine requirement. More information can be found here.
Let us remind you that Germany put Sibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, and Zadar counties on the red list over the last month. EZadar mentions that three more counties could be added to this list - Pozega-Slavonia, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and the City of Zagreb.
Travelers from Germany are not banned from traveling to these areas, but the country suggests passengers reconsider their plans. In addition, it allows passengers to cancel trips at no additional cost.
Declaring an area risky in Germany means that those returning from vacation must be tested for coronavirus and remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
Unlike Germany, Austria and Slovenia included the whole of Croatia on the red list. Prime Minister Plenkovic asked Slovenia's neighbors to reconsider the German model and to include only some parts of the country on the red list.
Recall, Croatia remains on the UK quarantine as well, after it was added on August 22, 2020.
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Flights to Croatia: Air Baltic Maintains Dubrovnik in September, All Other Routes Canceled?
September 5, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Air Baltic maintains Dubrovnik-Vilnius and likely cancels all other Croatia lines.
Croatian Aviation reports that according to the original plan, Air Baltic, the national carrier of Latvia based in Riga, was supposed to operate on four routes to Croatia in September, but this will not happen. Only one international line remains active.
Air Baltic started regular traffic to Croatia very early, back in June, and was also the first international line after a complete lockdown to Rijeka Airport. The company operates new A220 aircraft on all routes to Croatia.
The Riga - Dubrovnik route has been announced once a week in September, every Monday, but the company has been canceling flights on this route for some time. Currently, flights from September 14 are on sale again, but it is quite certain that they will also be canceled.
The Riga - Split line is also announced once a week through September, every Friday, though this line should see the same fate - the company ran the last flight on this line on August 21, while all flights after that date were canceled. Air Baltic has been offering flights on this route until September 18, but as is the case with the Dubrovnik route, it is obvious that they will not return to Split this year and will cancel the mentioned flights.
On the Riga - Rijeka line, the last flight operated on August 19, though it was originally planned that the last flight would be on September 16. However, in the meantime, all departures have been canceled and the company no longer offers direct flights between the two cities.
The last, fourth Air Baltic line, also a completely new line that started operating this year, Vilnius - Dubrovnik, is the only one that operates regularly, and Air Baltic plans to maintain it until the end of this month (September 25), once a week, every Friday.
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