January the 28th, 2023 - An enormous number (221,000 in total) of Croatian ID cards expired back during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and given the fact that the Interior Ministry (MUP) told people not to bother worrying about it until after the end of the pandemic was declared, people just carried out with their lives. Now there's quite a monumental administrative task at hand.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, closed schools, restaurants, cafes, hair salons, bars, bans on gatherings, passes and COVID certificates. All of the above was our bizarre and unprecedented reality not so long ago. Almost three years ago, more precisely on March the 11th, 2020, the novel coronavirus entered the country and an epidemic was declared in Croatia. Is it over now? Yes and no.

"If the end of the pandemic ends up being declared, it means that the virus is still very much here, that it has entered into its endemic phase and that it will remain among us forever. Whether a decision will be made soon is very difficult to say. The information I received from Geneva is that this is the one million dollar question," said the director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak.

This is being discussed by the World Health Organisation's emergency committee for COVID-19. There were sixty known and confirmed new cases of infection across the Republic of Croatia in the last 24 hours, and 411 patients are being treated in hospital for more severe clinical pictures.

"The situation is currently stable, we have 10 to 15 hospitalised patients. The situation now is completely incomparable to the one we had at the beginning. We knew little about this new virus or the issues it would present, we didn't have a vaccine, we didn't have the knowledge about what medicines we could use, but now the clinical picture of COVID-19 is milder,'' said the head of the Dr. Fran Mihaljevic Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Ivan Puljiz.

71 percent of the Croatian adult population has now been fully vaccinated and had boosters, and there are more vaccines available.

"The government made a decision that large quantities of vaccines will now be exported to more distant countries. We unfortunately destroyed some 300,000 doses because their deadlines expired, and we were unable to donate them," explained Capak, adding that many people have come to terms with the new virus living among us like many others do and are no longer worried about it.

For now, the end of the pandemic doesn't mean the end of wearing masks in healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and care homes where clinically vulnerable individuals reside.

"In our case, meaning in the case of Croatia, we'll discuss whether this can become a mere recommendation. For now, while the weather is cold and we can get bigger numbers, we won't change anything,'' said Capak.

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, expired documents such as Croatian ID cards and the like are still valid. More than 221,000 people now have expired Croatian ID cards, almost twice as many have expired passports. 78,500 people also have expired driver's licenses, writes Danas.hr/Today.hr. Thirty days after the end of the epidemic is officially declared, requests for new documents such as Croatian ID cards must be submitted to MUP.

"Regardless of the end of the epidemic being declared or not, people can start to plan and prepare to get their new documents themselves. We all have phones, search engines... choose your police department, select the services you need and reserve your date to come and get it all done,'' said Marija Goatti, a spokeswoman for the Zagreb Police Department.

While waiting for the announcement of the end of the pandemic, 12 cases of a new strain of the novel coronavirus - Kraken - have now been confirmed in Croatia. Epidemiologists don't expect any major problems to occur owing to it.

For more, check out our news section.

August the 25th, 2022 - Could Croatia reintroduce measures against the spread of coronavirus? Croatian Public Health Institute director Krunoslav Capak believes so, although with the much more extensive understanding of the virus we now have, those measures would be very mild.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Krunoslav Capak has stated that given the fact that we're now far better acquainted with the novel coronavirus, we know a little more about it and how it functions, although it always surprises us in some way, we can say that strict epidemiological measures such as lockdowns, closures, bans on gatherings etc, will probably no longer exist.''

He added that classic epidemiological measures are still being recommended, such as keeping a certain level of physical distance from others, wearing masks in places where there are more people, for example, when using public transport or going to concerts.

"The possibility of some measures coming back, however mild, exists", Capak said, before adding that is is what we have at our disposal - that is, social distancing and wearing a mask. If necessary, if the Croatian epidemiological situation worsens and if this measure proves to be effective, the Civil Protection Directorate will certainly resort to such a measure.

Capak also said that "we do now have quite a large number of patients" - for the last week, the average has been 790 per day among those who are confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 following a PCR test, and there are still about the same number of those who are positive for the virus on rapid antigen tests which can be done at home.

"Given that this is a mild variant of the disease, Omicron, and now we also have Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, which is an even milder but more contagious variant, we probably also have a lot of asymptomatic cases that we don't even know about,'' said Capak for HRT.

"If we judge ourselves by these PCR-positives, that is, those we report as sick, then we can say that this number is no longer growing, but stagnating, varying a little from day to day, but stagnating so that we think that we're only now at the peak of that BA.4-BA.5 wave," he said.

Low vaccination rate

Capak added that we are threatened with a new wave if a new mutation does develop.

Referring to the comment about the large number of deaths from or with the coronavirus even during this time in which a far milder variant is dominant, Capak said that with Omicron, we have about 700 PCR-positive and an average of 12 deaths per day, while at the peak of the Delta variant back in November of last year we had five to six thousand PCR-positive and an average of 52 deaths per day.

"This is a somewhat milder form of the disease," he said.

He pointed out that the Croatian population older than 60 years is much less vaccinated than in many other European countries, where the rate stands at more than 90 percent for people over 60 and 80 years old, while in this country it is between 70 and 80 percent for the same population.

The lack of reliability of tests performed at home

Answering a question about the reliability of antigen tests which can be performed at home, Krunoslav Capak said that the technique of taking the swab is very important, such as whether the swab is pushed deep enough into the nose to wipe the mucous membrane on which the virus is located.

“The home tests and the rapid antigen tests that we have now are also used in laboratories, so they are quite reliable, but they can't match PCR testing, which is 99 percent sensitive and reliable. So, PCR testing is still the golden rule and the gold standard in coronavirus diagnostics," said Capak.

Capak also said that at the moment, very few people in this country have been vaccinated with a fourth dose, while we have almost a million people who have been vaccinated with three doses, expressing the hope that they will also be vaccinated with the fourth.

For more on coronavirus in Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated section.

ZAGREB, 30 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,496 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Saturday.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 10,435, including 668 hospitalized people, of whom 27 are placed on ventilators, while 6,407 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,185,799 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,300 have died and 1,159,064 have recovered, including 1,565 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 5,046,775 people have tested for the coronavirus, of whom 3,816 in the last 24 hours.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 29 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,467 new coronavirus cases and 11 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Friday.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 10,516, including 671 people who are being treated in hospital, of whom 25 are placed on ventilators, while 6,108 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,184,303 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,288 have died and 1,157,499 have recovered, including 2,009 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 59.57 per cent of the total population, or 70.84 per cent of adults, have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 68.81 per cent of adults have received two doses.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,979 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Thursday.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 11,069, including 660 people being treated in hospital, of whom 19 are placed on ventilators, while 5,630 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,182,836 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,277 have died, and 1,155,490 have recovered, including 1,223 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 59.57 per cent of the total population, or 70.84 per cent of adults, have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 68.81 per cent of adults have received two doses.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

July 28, 2022 - A new coronavirus wave in Croatia is expected to peak in August, according to the Croatian Public Health Institute. 

Croatia is under attack by a new wave of highly contagious coronavirus subvariants, which have increased the proportion of positives among those tested to as much as 30 percent. According to the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ), the number of new cases daily has exceeded a thousand.

Subvariants of omicrons BA.2 and BA.4, and BA.5 are now circulating in the region; middle-aged citizens, from 30 to 69 years of age, are most exposed, while children are less infected because there are no classes.

A new wave of infections in Croatia began at the end of June when an increased share of positives in the total tested was recorded. The city of Zagreb, Split-Dalmatia, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties have the most infections, while the most favorable situation is in the Virovitica-Podravina County, which has only three new infections.

In the last week, an increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths was also noticeable, but this did not increase the interest in vaccination, so only 300 to 400 people are vaccinated daily, and less than 50 with the first dose in the entire country.

Citizens may wait for a new bivariate vaccine containing both the Wuhan and the omicron components. The European regulatory agency EMA could approve it at the end of August and the beginning of September at the earliest.

When asked about the possibility of re-introducing covid-certificates in the fall, the HZJZ replied that, according to their knowledge, there are no plans to re-introduce covid-certificates in the fall or winter at the moment.

Although some European countries have passed the peak of new infections, Croatia is still in the upward phase. The peak is expected in August, given the experience so far, which shows that the wave of infection lasts for several weeks.

All sick people, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated, must be isolated for seven to ten days, with the possibility of earlier termination in the case of testing on the fifth day from the beginning of the infection at the earliest.

The measure of quarantine or self-isolation is not mandatory for close contacts of positive persons, they should wear a mask for ten days after the last contact, and self-testing is also recommended.

Although a public controversy has recently developed about how well masks even protect against new variants of the virus, the HZJZ points out that, along with respecting physical distance, they are still the basis of preventing the spread of droplet infections.

"Only the use of masks is the domain of each individual's responsibility and awareness," notes the Institute for Public Health.

They emphasize the importance of vaccination again. The vaccine, they say, may not protect so effectively against the infection itself, given the high infectivity of the new omicron subvariants that are now circulating in our area. However, it still largely protects against more severe forms of the disease, hospitalization, and death.

A second booster is currently recommended for people over 80 and over 65 in nursing homes, at least four months after receiving the first booster. For this purpose, an mRNA vaccine (Comirnaty or Spikevax) is used. Also, a second booster vaccination is recommended for people with an increased risk of developing severe forms of covid and who were primarily vaccinated and boostered with the Janssen vaccine. The mRNA vaccine (Comirnaty or Spikevax) is recommended for the second vaccination.

According to HZJZ statistics, 57.76 percent of the total population in Croatia has completed vaccination, 23.26 percent received an additional (booster, third) dose, while 2,014 people received a second booster (so-called fourth) dose.

So far, 8,839,440 doses of the covid vaccine have arrived, and a total of 5,263,284 doses have been used. In addition, 1,335,780 doses are kept at the central warehouse, most Pfizer, of which 1,035,480 doses remain. In addition, there are 165,200 doses of Moderna vaccine, 96,000 doses of Novavax, and 39,100 doses of Janssen.

The expiration date for 28,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine expires this month, for 4,100 doses in August, and for 3,800 doses in September. The HZJZ notes that they expect the EMA to extend the shelf life of Moderna's vaccine from 9 to 12 months.

Estimates say that around 200 kg of vaccines will need to be destroyed, mostly Moderna and AstraZeneca. The cost of destruction per kilogram is HRK 12.50, including VAT, around HRK 2,500, according to the Institute of Public Health.

Croatia has so far donated 1,958,120 doses, including COVAX donations. Outside the COVAX system, the most were donated to Iran, BiH, North Macedonia, and Rwanda. As part of COVAX donations, most of them were donated to Egypt, Indonesia, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. As a rule, the donation does not imply a refund to the country that donates the vaccine.

Source: Jutarnji List

For more on the news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 26 July 2022 - In the last 24 hours, 1,266 coronavirus cases, out of 4,150 tests, and 14 related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Tuesday.

There are 8,929 active cases, including 626 hospitalised patients, of whom 22 on ventilators, while 4,645 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has registered 1,178,958 coronavirus cases to date, the death toll is 16,249, and 70.84% of adults have been vaccinated, including 68.81% fully.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 25 July 2022 - Croatia has confirmed 97 new coronavirus cases and 18 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Monday.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 8,833, including 636 patients who are being treated in hospital, of whom 16 are placed on ventilators, while 4,433 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,177,692 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,235 have died and 1,152,624 have recovered, including 1,548 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 59,57 percent of the total population, or 70.84 percent of adults, have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 68.80 percent of adults have received two doses.

To date, 5,024,729 tests have been conducted, including 615 in the last 24 hours when the positivity rate was 16%.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 24 July 2022 - In the last 24 hours, 1,076 coronavirus cases, out of 3,109 tests, and 11 related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Sunday, adding that there are 10,302 active cases.

Hospitalisations stand at 595, including 13 patients on ventilators, while 5,563 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has registered 1,177,595 coronavirus cases to date, the death toll is 16,217, and 70.84% of adults have ben vaccinated, including 68.80% fully.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 22 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,491 new coronavirus cases and ten COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Friday.

The number of active cases currently stands at 10,804, of whom 609 infected persons are being treated in hospital, including 14 placed on ventilators, while 6,137 persons are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 1,174,865 cases of the infection have been diagnosed. The disease has claimed 16,198 lives. A total of 1,147,863 have recovered, including 1,642 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 59.56 percent of the total population, or 70.84 percent of adults, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 68.80 percent of the adult population have been vaccinated twice.

So far, over five million tests have been conducted, and in the last 24 hours, 3,900 people have been tested.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.