ZAGREB, Nov 14, 2020 - Croatia has recorded 2,866 new coronavirus cases and 38 related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national COVID-19 response team reported on Saturday morning.

The number of active cases currently stands at 17,090. Of them, 1,655 are receiving hospital treatment, including 184 who are ventilators.

A total of 41,615 people are currently in self-isolation.

Since February 25, when the first case was confirmed in the country, 81,844 people have been infected with the novel virus, 1,006 of them have died and 63,748 have recovered, including 2,484 in the last 24 hours.

To date, a total of 611,357 people have tested for coronavirus, including 9,614 in the last 24 hours.

ZAGREB, November 13, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday that Croatia would today again have more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases, appealing to citizens to comply with epidemiological measures so as to avoid the introduction of more restrictions and noting that the situation is currently under control.

"The current situation is definitely the most difficult since the onset of the epidemic and we all must behave in such a way to help reduce those high numbers as soon as possible," Plenkovic said at a government session.

He said that the measures adopted two weeks ago had significantly slowed down the spreading of the epidemic and that the situation in Croatia was not as bad as in some other countries but that it was serious.

In five counties epidemiological measures are in force that are stricter than those at the national level.

"If we want to avoid stricter measures, personal responsibility is crucial. We believe this can be achieved with joint effort, with measures currently in force and with responsible behavior," he said, calling for physical distancing, wearing of masks and social distancing, with less contact with friends and relatives and less unnecessary contact.

Sufficient hospital capacity, sufficient number of beds, ventilators

The situation is currently under control even though the number of hospitalised patients is growing, which is due to an increase in the number of infections of about ten days ago, but the increase has been slowing down. The health system is under strain but it is not on the verge of collapse, Plenkovic said.

He noted that in Zagreb's KB Dubrava hospital alone, there were more than 500 available beds.

The hospital has been converted into a COVID hospital.

"Even though tests cannot discover all new cases, the slowing down of the number of new hospitalisations confirms that the situation with the epidemic is not getting out of control in relation to the measures in force and the capacity of the health system," he said.

ZAGREB, November 12, 2020 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 3,082 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 32 related deaths, the national COVID-19 response team said on Thursday.

The number of active cases in Croatia stands at 16,348, there are 1,598 COVID patients in hospitals, and 178 of them are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when Croatia registered its first coronavirus infection, a total of 75,922 people have contracted the novel coronavirus, 925 of them have died, and 58,649 have recovered, including 2,215 in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 35,690 people in self-isolation.

To date, 592,326 people have been tested for coronavirus, including 10,156 in the last 24 hours.

ZAGREB, Nov 11, 2020 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 2,597 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 28 related deaths, the national COVID-19 response team said on Wednesday.

The number of active cases in Croatia stands at 15,513, there are 1,545 COVID patients in hospitals, and 178 of them are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when Croatia registered its first coronavirus infection, a total of 72,840 people have contracted the novel coronavirus, 893 of them have died, and 56,434 have recovered, including 1,580 in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 32,225 people in self-isolation.

To date, 582,170 people have been tested for coronavirus, including 9,681 in the last 24 hours.

November 11, 2020 - A look at the new measures in Sibenik-Knin County as cafes must shut at 10 pm starting Thursday.  

Dalmatinski Portal reports that in the past 24 hours in Sibenik-Knin County, 69 people were infected with COVID-19. These are 17 from the area of Sibenik, 11 from the area of Drnis, nine from the area of Knin, five from the area of Vodice, three from the area of Pirovac, two from the area of Bilice, and one person each from the area of Promina, Tribunj, Primosten, Ruzic and Ervenik.

Eight residents and one employee of the Mihek Home for Mentally Ill Adults, Sibenik branch, also became infected. Furthermore, eight people who currently reside in this county, and their place of residence is elsewhere, were infected.

The Sibenik Hospital Department of Infectious Diseases is treating 23 people, one of whom is on a ventilator. Others have milder clinical symptoms and are in self-isolation. There are currently 215 active cases of COVID-19.

In the last 24 hours, 91 samples were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Currently, 700 people are under health supervision and self-isolation measures.

The National Civil Protection Headquarters, at the proposal of the Civil Protection Headquarters of Sibenik-Knin County, amended the Decision on introducing necessary epidemiological measures for Sibenik-Knin County, which enters into force tomorrow.

The decision prohibits holding all public events and gatherings of more than 30 people in one place, except for sports competitions where there may be a maximum of as many competitors and officials as allowed by the competition regulations for each sport. A maximum of 50 people may be present at professional art performances and programs, cinema screenings, and exhibitions in museums, galleries, and other exhibition spaces with strict adherence to all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

The working hours of all types of catering facilities are limited until 10 pm. Visits to residents of social welfare institutions that provide accommodation services and exits of residents outside the premises and courtyards are prohibited unless conditioned for medical reasons.

At religious ceremonies indoors, the number of persons present is limited according to the space's size, so that at least 4 m2 of space must be provided for each person present. It is recommended to sports associations and other organized groups that do not participate in official competitions not to hold training, preparatory exercises, and recreational activities indoors.

It is recommended that private gatherings are not held. If a private gathering is still held, it is recommended to limit the gathering to members of the same or as few connected households as possible. It is recommended that sessions of representative bodies of local and regional self-government units be held via videoconference or other technologies for holding remote meetings.

It is recommended that employers organize work with the greatest possible distance between workers and maintain a minimum physical distance of at least 2 meters, whenever possible.

To read more about coronavirus in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, November 9, 2020 - Croatia's chief epidemiologist Krunoslav Capak said on Monday the latest data on the rise of coronavirus cases in the country gave one hope that the incidence was stagnating.

In three weeks up to November 2, we had a 90% to 100% change in the weekly numbers of new cases, he told a press conference of the national COVID-19 response team. "In one week, our numbers increased 100%, whereas now we have a 4.2% increase. This gives us hope that the increase is stagnating and that the situation will improve."

Croatia 13th in Europe in terms of mortality

"We have a 14-day incidence of 750.4 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a high incidence, ranking us 22nd out of 27 European countries. The mortality rate since the start of the epidemic is 184.5 per million inhabitants, which puts us in 13th place in the EU, in the middle of the ranking, which is good," said Capak.

"We hope the numbers will stop rising and that the curve will even out. The fact that the number is stagnating shouldn't encourage us not to adhere to the measures, because strictly adhering to the prescribed epidemiological measures is key for achieving stagnation," the head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health added.

In the past 24 hours Croatia registered 1,529 new coronavirus cases and 38 deaths. The number of active cases is 14,952, including 1,451 hospitalised patients, of whom 142 are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the virus was first registered in Croatia, 68,776 persons have caught it, including 832 who have died, and 53,002 have recovered, including 2,227 in the past 24 hours. To date 564,686 people have been tested for the virus, including 5,670 in the past 24 hours.

Currently 28,122 persons are self-isolating.

Situation best in Istria County, worst in Varazdin and Medjimurje

Capak said the pandemic situation remained the best in Istria County, despite plenty of cases recently, while being worst in Varazdin and Medjimurje counties.

Croatia has not reached the PCR testing limit and most countries are starting to use high antigen tests, which are not totally accurate but take 10 minutes.

"Those tests are now being used only for symptomatic patients and we are annulling false negatives by sending all those with false negatives for PCR. There is no strategy which could endanger the detection of new cases," said Capak.

As for the high number of deaths, he said it was due to the higher numbers of new infections.

Speaking of scientist Ivan Djikic's estimate of 1,500 dead by the end of this month, Capak said he was surprised because he did not know if Djikic meant the total death toll or the monthly number. "I said I thought the number was exaggerated. If the number of infections continues to stagnate, the number of the dead will decrease too."

Speaking of a drug shortage for cancer patients, Health Minister Vili Beros said HRK 1.8 billion would be paid to wholesalers on Wednesday and that it should suffice for ensuring drugs for the gravest patients.

He condemned "the inhumane act of switching off power in KB Dubrava" hospital, which is being investigated by the police, saying the arrival of a new leadership was expected to improve the situation in the Zagreb hospital.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said wearing masks was mandatory there where it was not possible to socially distance and that more and more people were behaving responsibly, wearing them both indoors and outdoors.

"You have countries which have imposed a curfew, a lockdown, and you see what is happening. The problem with those strict measures is that, at the moment, no one can say how long they will last. Besides all the epidemiological reasons and demands, we must take into account not only the economy, but also the sentiment in society, the nation's mental state. Where there is no other way, there are sanctions and they will be applied," he said.

ZAGREB, November 9, 2020  - An estimated 1,000 people gathered in Zagreb's main square on Sunday to protest against the measures passed by the national coronavirus response team.

The protest was organised by a Facebook group which demands the dissolution of the COVID-19 crisis response team and which brings together more than 160,000 people.

The demonstrators started their march outside Zagreb's central Railway Station on Sunday afternoon and walked towards the Trg Bana Jelacica Square disrespecting the anti-COVID rules, such as wearing protective masks and keeping a distance.

They were addressed by a dozen speakers who criticised the national response team, politicians and the media, saying that face masks were not protective, that families were paid to sign a statement saying that their loved ones had died from coronavirus, and the pandemic was referred to as the so-called pandemic.

One of the speakers was a man who on 14 October threatened to attack the head of Zagreb's Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Alemka Markotic, while she was giving an interview for the N1 broadcaster. That incident took place in Zagreb when an N1 reporter was about to interview Markotic for N1 television channel's news bulletin and the attacker and one more person stopped next to the television crew and their guest and started yelling, threatening them and hurling insults at them.

The organisers of today's protest also said that the measures were political and aimed at "spreading panic and creating benefits for the ruling party and not the people."

Members of the national coronavirus response team have entangled healthcare with politics to such an extent that they have lost the trust of the people and have turned science into a laughing stock, which will have lasting and indelible consequences for public confidence in the medical profession, the organisers said in the invitation to the rally, adding that such behaviour must stop.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said later on Sunday that the police would file a report on today's rally and after that decisions could be expected whether criminal reports would be filed.

ZAGREB, November 9, 2020 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 1,529 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 38 related deaths, the national COVID-19 response team said on Monday.

The number of active cases stands at 14,942. There are 1,451 COVID patients in hospitals, and 142 of them are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when Croatia reported its first case of the infection, a total of 68,776 people have contracted coronavirus, 832 of them have died, and 53,002 have recovered, including 2,227 in the last 24 hours.

Currently, 28,122 people are in self-isolation.

To date, 564,686 people have been tested for coronavirus, including 5,670 in the last 24 hours.

November 8, 2020 - The latest on COVID-19 in Croatia, as Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic discusses new measures with the Civil Protection Headquarters. 

Index.hr reports that in the last 24 hours, 2543 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, and the number of active cases in Croatia today is 15,678.

Among them, 1396 patients are in hospital, of which 145 are on a ventilator. Forty-two people died. This is the second day in a row that most deaths have occurred in one day since the beginning of the epidemic.

A meeting, including the Prime Minister and members of the Headquarters, was held today. Among others, Krunoslav Capak, Alemka Markotić, Minister Vili Beroš, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated.

Plenković said that new measures were being considered and that talks would be held with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Labor.

"The basic restrictions that exist will continue to apply from tomorrow at midnight until further notice. The situation is serious," he said.

"The Headquarters has announced that it will extend all existing measures tomorrow, and new measures will be considered," Plenković said, adding that he would first talk to Minister Fuchs.

"Recommendations for working from home will also be considered," the prime minister added and said that the Headquarters would start with regular press conferences, which will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"Starting tomorrow at 11 am, the Civil Protection Headquarters will return with press conferences on Monday, Wednesday, Friday," he added.

He added that the Dubrava Hospital events were not good, talking about power outages and vandalism, and added that he believed the situation would change with the new hospital management.

"I expect the new management of the hospital, which will take office next week, will put it all together," Plenković said.

He said that Milanović's latest comments are pathetic and miserable. "Maybe someone will write 'Enough' on the covers tomorrow," he added.

"For every insult, they will get an answer; for every lie, they will get an answer. As inappropriate as that is, it's right," he concluded.

To read more about coronavirus in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, November 7, 2020 - In the last 24 hours, of 8,624 tests conducted for coronavirus, 28% of them, that is 2,399 have returned positive, Croatia's COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Saturday.

There have been 35 COVID-related fatalities, a new single-day record, and the death toll stands now at 752. On Friday, there were 34 COVID-related deaths.

Currently, there are 15,542 active cases, including 1,330 patients who are receiving hospital treatment, and 128 of them are placed on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the new virus was first registered in Croatia, 64,704 persons have been infected, and 48,410 have recovered, including 2,389 in the past 24 hours.

Currently 31,642 persons are self-isolating.

To date 550,229 persons have been tested.