ZAGREB, 25 January, 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 134 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 32 related deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Monday.

The number of active cases in Croatia stands at 2,519. There are 1,485 COVID patients in hospitals, 138 of whom are on ventilators.

There are 15,109 people in self-isolation.

To date 1,156,456 people have been tested, including 2,423 in the last 24 hours.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia registered its first case, 229,054 people have contracted the novel coronavrius, 4,859 of whom have died. A total of 221,676 people have recovered, including 579 over the past 24 hours.

January 25, 2021 - Fitness centers and gyms in Croatia are likely to reopen from February 1, a meeting between the government and the Headquarters revealed on Sunday, held to discuss potentially relaxing some of the epidemiological measures in place.

Namely, the current measures expire on January 31. As Index.hr has learned, although no final decisions were made, a consensus was reached at Sunday's meeting on a slight easing of measures on February 1. Most concessions will be in the segment of sports and recreation, but the opening of restaurant and cafe terraces is still on the table.

Prospective opening of gyms and concessions when it comes to sports training and competitions
Gyms will likely open on Monday, February 1, but that is not yet entirely certain. The opening of gyms is considered because there is no solid scientific evidence that they are places where the infection is spreading. It should be reminded that gyms were not in the last draft for closing in late November when stricter measures were introduced but were eventually included in the list.

On the same date, the circle of those who are allowed to train, compete and play sports, in general, could expand, at least when it comes to outdoor sports. However, as Index learned, it might also be possible for children to train indoors. According to the current measures in force until January 31, training and competitions are allowed only for athletes of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd category.

It is most likely that from February 1, cafes will be allowed to sell coffee outside, with the potential opening of terraces

When it comes to cafes, it is most likely that from February 1, the sale of coffee and similar beverages outside will be allowed. Recall, the fierce reactions of caterers came precisely to the decision according to which cafes cannot sell coffee outside, but kiosks, gas stations, and bakeries can. Restaurants that are also closed to guests are allowed at least delivery, while cafes have been completely closed for the past two months.

As Index finds out, the opening of restaurant and cafe terraces from February 1 is still in play. The competent Ministry and other ministries whose sectors could be covered by the concession are expected to conduct an additional evaluation according to which a final decision should be made. If a decision is made to open the terraces, work would likely be limited, probably until 10 pm.

Upper elementary students return to school
Upper elementary school students would return to schools in February instead of the online classes they now attend.

They also discussed lifting the ban on private gatherings of people from more than two households at Sunday's meeting, but Index revealed that it is not realistic.

Index also learned that as things stand now, the permitted numbers of people at various types of gatherings should remain as they are now.

Final decisions will be made in the middle of the week, most likely on Wednesday.

Why aren't more measures eased?
The Headquarters is concerned about epidemiological pictures in some European countries, and especially news about new strains. If the import of a new strain into Croatia was confirmed, it could mean that the concessions would not be as discussed at Sunday's meeting. A few days ago, it became clear that vaccine delivery at this stage would be significantly lower than expected. The Headquarters also believes that closed spaces continue to pose the most significant risk of spreading the infection.

It is precisely these three factors that are cited as the key reasons why there will be no stronger easing of measures from February 1, primarily when it comes to opening cafes and restaurants for guests.

To read more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 24 January, 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 352 cases of the infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and there have been 28 related deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Sunday.

The number of active cases in Croatia currently stands at 2,996, including 1,474 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, 138 of whom are on ventilators.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia registered its first case of the infection, 228,920 people have contracted the novel coronavirus, and 221,097 have recovered, including 560 in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 death toll is 4,827.

There are currently 15,729 people in self-isolation.

To date 1,154,033 people have been tested, 4,342 of whom in the last 24 hours.

January 24, 2021 – First President of Croatia makes a Covid-era comeback, as new Franjo Tudman face masks become a hit on social media

So far, the nationally specific Covid-era face masks seen on the streets of Croatia have been rather divisive. The logos of the country's bigger football clubs look good but could land you in grief if you travel to the other side of the country while wearing one. The outlawed slogans and insignia of Nazi-allied independent Croatia are a rather more gruesome reminder of the minority of fascist sympathisers that sadly linger in the village. Thankfully there are few tourists here right now to be appalled at such.

Three cheers, then, for the arrival of a distinctly Croatian covering of which the whole country can approve. Though released relatively recently, the new Franjo Tudman face masks have already proved to be a Covid-era hit on social media.

The Franjo Tudman face masks were designed by nationally recognized Rijeka singer-songwriter Dražen Turina, best known by the nickname Šajeta, which is also the name under which his music is released. Along with Pula singer Alen Vitasović and his band Gustafi, Šajeta is a key composer of contemporary Croatian music that uses the Chakavian dialect. Dražen Turina revealed the Franjo Tudman face masks on his Twitter social media account, where they became instantly popular.

Distancing himself from any misunderstanding that the Franjo Tudman face masks had been inspired by sentiments of nationalism, Šajeta instead playfully bemoaned the wearing of masks by young Croats that feature the images of foreign figures. He said he deliberately choose a photo of the former Croatian president smiling for the Franjo Tudman face masks.

It is not yet clear if Šajeta plans to make the Franjo Tudman face masks widely available. Followers of the singer on Twitter were keen to ask if he would be making other masks featuring nationally famous figures.

The Franjo Tudman face masks are far from the first tributes to be paid to the first President of Croatia. There are more statues dedicated to Franjo Tudman in Croatia than any other person. Following Croatia's independence from Yugoslavia, Franjo Tudman became the first President of Croatia and served in the position from 1990 until his death in 1999.

All images from the Twitter account of Šajeta

ZAGREB, 23 January, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, 4,872 coronavirus tests have been performed in Croatia, and 599, that is 12.3%, have returned positive, while there have been 29 COVID-related deaths, the country's coronavirus crisis management team reported on Saturday morning.

There are currently 3,232 active cases of whom 1,468 are receiving hospital treatment, including 142 patients placed on ventilators.

Since the outbreak of the infection in Croatia on 25 February, 1,149,691 tests have been conducted for this novel virus, and 228.568 people have tested positive.

Of them, 220,537 have recovered to date, including 659 recoveries in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 4,799.

Currently, 16,114 persons are self-isolating.

ZAGREB, 22 January, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, 643 new coronavirus infections have been confirmed in Croatia and 32 people have died of the consequences of the disease, the national coronavirus crisis management team said on Friday morning.

Currently there are 3,321 active cases and 1,518 people are receiving hospital treatment, including 145 who are on ventilators.

Since the outbreak of the infection in late February, 227,969 people have been infected with the novel virus, of whom 4,770 have died.

A total of 219,878 people have recovered, including 796 in the last 24 hours.

Currently, 15,878 persons are self-isolating.

To date 1,144,819 people have been tested, including 4,863 in the last 24 hours.

January 22, 2021 - Croatia will suspend new Pfizer vaccinations for the time being as there are not enough doses currently available. 

T.portal reports that the director of the Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, expressed dissatisfaction with the dynamics of vaccine delivery to Croatia during a press conference on Friday. Capak noted that it is not operating according to how it was negotiated and signed, and they are now receiving reduced quantities. 

"Moderna informed us yesterday that it would be a week late with delivery and that it would reduce our doses," Capak said, adding that the vaccination plan must now be restructured.

"We don’t have the Pfizer vaccine for new vaccinations, but we will now have to keep what we have for revaccination," Capak said, adding that 11,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine should arrive in early February.

He said that the quantities of vaccines coming are 'far below what we negotiated, and it is made even more difficult for us by the fact that they were initially given larger quantities, and now they are reduced.'

"We will certainly be able to vaccinate for the second dose, but we will have to suspend new vaccinations," Capak said. "Through individual contacts with European Commission officials and producers, we seek our rights, but so far, this has remained only an attempt," he added.

"We are now in a situation where we have to restructure our vaccination plan; now we are storing the Pfizer vaccine exclusively for the second dose and waiting until mid-February to get some larger quantities. Moderna promised us that they would deliver what they promised the week after the first one, and we can only hope that'll be the case," said Capak.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is likely to be registered on January 29, and distribution will follow soon after. The European Union is currently working on the distribution by member states.

Capak also spoke about when he expects the general population to be largely vaccinated.

"It all depends on the delivery of the vaccine. We are ready for much faster vaccination, all county public health institutes, health centers, and family doctors are ready for it, but we do not have vaccines. If AstraZeneca delivers larger quantities after registration, we could vaccinate much faster. I think that together with all the other doses, it was promised that we would have the general population largely vaccinated by the summer," said Capak on Jutarnji List.

Illustration by Little Shiva

To read more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

January 19, 2021 – 45 people tried to enter Croatia with fake PCR tests this weekend alone. They were caught by Croatian police, detained at the border and reported to the State's Attorney office. If found guilty, each faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison

Some 45 people tried to enter Croatia through the borders of one county with fake PCR tests this past weekend.

Travel from Bosnia and Herzegovina into Croatia currently requires the production of a negative PCR test or a doctor's certificate proving you have successfully passed through a COVID-19 infection in recent months.

Since the ban on entering Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina without a negative PCR test was introduced, fake PCR tests are increasingly being forged. Border police and customs officers at crossings in Brod-Posavina County have met many people trying to cross the border with fake PCR tests. But, this weekend a new record number of forged tests were found on the county's border crossings.

According to a statement from the Brod-Posavina Police Department, as many as 45 attempts to enter the country with fake PCR tests were discovered on Saturday and Sunday.

"At the Stara Gradiška border crossing, police officers determined that 43 persons, mostly citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented fake PCR tests issued in BiH at the border control. At the Slavonski Brod border crossing, two people were registered who gave forged tests," the Brod-Posavina police reported.

Police officers file criminal charges against all those suspected of committing the criminal offence of forgery of a document with the Municipal State Attorney's Office in Slavonski Brod. If found guilty, such persons face up to three years in prison.

The overall number of people detained on Croatia's border with fake PCR tests this weekend could actually be higher - the figures of 45 persons detained with fake PCR tests were released by the police of just one county in Croatia - Brod-Posavina County. A further eight Croatian counties exist along the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each has border crossings between the two countries.

ZAGREB, 18 January, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday that there was an encouraging downward epidemic curve trend and that if it continued, it would give reason to hope that possible relaxation of anti-epidemic measures could be considered in consultation with experts.

"It is good that the weekly average of confirmed infections has dropped to the level of mid-October," Plenković said at a government session.

Croatia currently has the third biggest 14-day drop in new infections in the EU. The number of fatalities has been on the decline as well, the number of people on ventilators and hospitalisations has been halved compared to the peak a month ago and is now at the level of two months ago, in the first half of November. The number of hospitalisations has dropped twice compared to a month ago, he said.

"These are good indicators and mean that the measures introduced at the end of November and responsible behaviour by citizens have reversed trends. We should now keep them up. The responsibility of all is very important," the PM said.

He stressed that the change in statistics had been achieved without a curfew or a strict lockdown and that if the current trend continued, a possible easing of restrictions would be considered in consultation with experts.

The PM said one of the first signals was the start of the second school term and the return to school of primary school pupils from Grades 1 to 4 and final-year secondary school students.

The others will have to wait but I hope they, too, will return to school if the current situation continues, he said.

So far, 46,000 people have been vaccinated against coronavirus. Today a new shipment of the Pfizer vaccine arrived and a decision by the European Medicines Agency is being awaited on the approval of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which would increase the number of doses, Plenković said.

"This would make it possible for us to vaccinate the groups that are most at risk as well as those most exposed to infection and thus protect them before the start of the tourist season," he said.

He noted that this week a parliamentary debate would be held on the government-sponsored amendments to the Act on the Post-Earthquake Reconstruction and that today the government would adopt a number of decisions designed to facilitate life for people in the quake-hit areas.

In that context, he singled out a conclusion on the write-off of utility bills for households. "The conclusion refers to electricity and gas," said Plenković.

ZAGREB, 18 January, 2021 - The head of the national COVID-19 crisis management  team, Davor Božinović, said on Monday that the despite the fact that the current epidemiological situation was good, they did not want to risk a third wave occurring and that the impact of each measure on the decrease of infections would be assessed.

He stressed he could not specify whether the current measures would be relaxed after 31 January, but until then each existing measure would be evaluated.

Commenting on claims about the introduction of vaccination certificates which could enable citizens to travel, Božinović said there were no formal discussions on them.

"We are currently not considering those options," he said, adding that some countries are thinking about it.

"If there is a joint approach at the EU level, we are going to actively join those talks. At the moment, the quantities of vaccine in the EU and Croatia, and more or less in the entire world, are too small for such decisions to be made. At this moment I think it is too soon," Božinović said.

Capak: 29% fewer new infections compared to previous week

The head of the Croatian Public Health Institute, Krunoslav Capak, said that from 12 to 18 January there had been 29% fewer new infections than in the preceding week, from 5 to 11 January.

The 14-day incidence of 288.9 new cases places Croatia in the 7th place of countries with lowest incidence in the European Union. However, the mortality rate remains high, with Croatia ranking 8th among the EU countries with the highest mortality rate.

Capak said that a new tranche of 17,550 doses of the Pfizer vaccine had been delivered to Croatia today. Part of it will be used to administer the second shot to people who have been vaccinated.

He said that 122 suspected side effects had been reported to date, most of which had been mild side effects but there had also been several more severe allergic reactions.

Capak announced that the next tranche of Moderna's vaccine would be delivered on 25 January - 4,800 doses. He did not agree with reporters' claims that the delivery in the EU was slower than in countries who had negotiated with manufacturers by themselves.

"I hope we will receive sufficient quantities of the vaccine to vaccinate all those interested in our population, which is most important," Capak said.

Capak confirmed claims that Pfizer was reducing the delivery of vaccine doses but that the reason for that was the reconstruction of the vaccine production plant, the goal of which was to increase production and reach the agreed vaccine quotas.

As for Croatia, there is no official confirmation that the delivery of the vaccine will be reduced, he said, adding that as of 15 February the deliveries will be significantly increased.

Markotić: We must remain prudent to avoid third wave of epidemic

The head of the Zagreb Dr Fran Mihaljević Infectious Diseases Hospital, Alemka Markotić, said that the lower number of new infections was reducing the pressure on the hospital system, and that the number of discharged patients had been exceeding the number of admitted patients in recent days.

She underscored that despite that one must not ignore the situation in Europe.

"Some countries are registering a spike that occurred in a short period of time, probably due to the mutated version of the virus," Markotić said, adding that one must be careful to avoid a third wave of the epidemic.

She said that a decision to close the Arena sports hall in Zagreb as a tertiary centre for coronavirus patients had not been made yet, although it was being considered.