ZAGREB, September 18, 2020 - Six people have died in Croatia in the past 24 hours as a consequence of the coronavirus and 234 new cases have been identified, bringing the total number of active cases to 2,100, the national Covid response team reported on Friday.

Currently, 280 patients are being treated for the new virus in hospitals, 21 of whom are on ventilators.

Since 25 February, when the first case of the disease was registered in Croatia, a total of 14,513 people have been infected with Covid-19 and 244 of them have died, while 12,169 have recovered, including 236 in the past 24 hours.

There are currently 8,938 people in self-isolation. A total of 249,023 people have been tested for the virus to date, including 6,137 in the past 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, Sept 17, 2020 - In the last 24 hours, of 5,948 tests performed for coronavirus in Croatia, 250 have returned positive, and the number of active cases stands at 2,108, the national COVID-19 response team said on Thursday.

There have been two more fatalities, bringing the COVID-related death toll to 238.

Currently, 300 infected patients are receiving hospital treatment, and of the 24 are placed on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the first case of the disease was reported in Croatia, 14,279 people have contracted the disease and 11,933 of them have recovered.

The team reported that 8,756 people were now self-isolating.

Since the outbreak of this infectious disease, 242,886 tests have been performed.

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ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - There have been 280 new cases of the coronavirus infection and six fatalities in Croatia in the past 24 hours, while the number of active cases stands at 2,103, the national COVID-19 response team said on Wednesday.

A total of 293 patients are hospitalised, including 20 who are on ventilators.

With the six latest fatalities, the coronavirus death toll has risen to 236.

Currently, 8,505 people are self-isolating.

Since February 25, when the first case of the disease was reported, 14,029 people have contracted the disease and 11,690 of them have recovered.

A total of 236,938 people have been tested to date, including 6,353 in the last 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Tuesday that the Constitutional Court got cold feet when deciding about the constitutionality of epidemiological measures adopted by the national COVID-19 response team, noting that its ruling would not put an end to discussions about the team's work.

"(Those measures) suspend certain human rights and they do so for a longer period of time. A very vague and loose legal framework was adopted and the Constitutional Court got cold feet, but that's only human," Milanovic told reporters in a comment on the Constitutional Court's decision that the COVID-19 response team's epidemiological masures are in line with the Constitution.

"The ruling is as it is, there will be problems because of it, in my opinion, it is not wise and in that sense, I take note of it. I cannot go against it, but I will not keep silent and will defend the Constitution and constitutional freedoms the way I understand them," Milanovic told reporters.

The Constitutional Court is a political body, which in the case of the COVID-19 response team has made a political decision, the president said, adding that this was a rule of democracy.

President Milanovic, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, was answering reporters' questions at Pleso Airport, where he attended a welcome ceremony for the 12th Croatian contingent returning from the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

Milanovic reiterated his position that there was a state of emergency in Croatia, a state of natural disaster, just as in the whole of Europe, and that debates about the constitutionality of decisions made by the team managing the coronavirus crisis would not stop.

He added that a few months ago he had warned that "in the case of the COVID-19 team a house was being built without legal foundations."

He believes that the situation could have been avoided elegantly and one could have avoided "questions about jurisdiction, whether one has the right to issue orders and whether those orders exist or are fiction."

Milanovic believes decisions of the Constitutional Court should be debated because they concern important social topics.

"That is called making the nation literate. People should be able to discuss anything, and if something is unjust, they should be able to oppose it. This is simply fear of criticism," Milanovic said when asked to comment on the view of some HDZ members that decisions by the Constitutional Court should not be debated.

Milanovic, however, does not share the view of some of the opposition parties that the Constitutional Court should be abolished.

"Of course not; but it is a political institution, it is not a regular court. There is no close connection with classic adjudication," he added.

The decision on fighter jets political

Asked about the condition of MiG jets, which at the time of his government's term in office were overhauled in Ukraine, Milanovic said that the jets were in the best possible condition compared to the condition they could be in.

"When their age is taken into account, one can say that they were saved with the overhaul in Ukraine, which cost the state US$ 10 or 15 million. That's an insignificant amount for the state. It was an absolutely good job back then. If we had not done it, we would not have any jets today, but we still have a certain number of jets that fly... it was a necessary move, but it has its shelf life," Milanovic said.

He repeated that now one should buy new planes, that the government was in charge of the process but that he believed the US offer should be given priority for a number of reasons.

"They have just donated us two helicopters. Those are all factors that should be taken into account when making a decision. The government must be as neutral as possible but eventually, the decision is a political one," Milanovic said.

ZAGREB, Sept 15, 2020 - Over the past 24 hours 151 new coronavirus cases have been registered in Croatia, bringing the number of active cases to 2,107, and three persons have died, the national COVID response team said on Tuesday.

Currently, 299 patients are hospitalized, including 22 on ventilators, and 8,598 persons are self-isolating.

The death toll has risen to 230.

Since February 25, when the pandemic began in Croatia, 13,749 persons have been infected with the virus and 11,412 have recovered.

To date, 230,585 persons have been tested, including 5,571 in the last 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, Sept 14, 2020 - In the last 24 hours, Croatia has recorded 65 new COVID cases and three fatalities, and the number of active cases stands at 2,220, the national COVID-19 management team said on Monday.

Of the total number of COVID-19 patients, 310 are in hospitals, including 22 on ventilators. Currently, 8,217 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case of the infection was registered in Croatia, 13,598 people have been diagnosed with the new disease, and of them, 227 have died, while 11,151 have recovered.

To date, 225,014 people have been tested for the virus, including 3,180 in the last 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, September 13, 2020 - Over the past 24 hours, there have been 165 new cases of the coronavirus infection in Croatia and six fatalities, and there are currently 2,410 active cases, the national COVID-19 management team said on Sunday.

Of the total number of COVID-19 patients, 309 are being treated in hospital, including 22 placed on ventilators. Currently, 8,314 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first confirmed case of the infection was recorded in Croatia, a total of 13,533 people have contracted the disease and of them, 10,899 have recovered, while 224 people have died.

To date, 221,834 people have been tested for the coronavirus, including 5,339 in the last 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, Sept 11, 2020  - In the last 24 hours, 5,549 tests have been conducted for coronavirus in Croatia and the national COVID-19 crisis management team reports 190 new COVID cases.

There are now 2,430 active cases, including 327 patients who are being treated in hospitals, and 26 of them are placed on ventilators.

In the last 24 hours, three COVID positive persons have died, bringing the country's death toll to 211.

Since 25 February when Croatia reported its first case of the coronavirus infection, 13,107 people have tested positive. Of them, 10,466 have recovered to date.

 A total of 210,805 tests have been performed to date.

 Currently, 8,720 people are self-isolating.

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September 11, 2020 - There are reasons to be optimistic about our fight against COVID-19, Dragan Primorac, a world-renowned professor of genetics and forensic sciences, said today on Croatian national television, warning about the vitamin D levels in Croatian population. 

'We breathe in between a hundred thousand and a million microorganisms each day, but we rarely get sick. The strength of our bodies is much bigger than we mention. For instance, vitamin D plays a crucial role. Some studies have shown that people with low vitamin D levels get respiratory infections much more often. During this pandemic, a team of scientists found that many people suffering from COVID-19 had low vitamin D levels', Primorac explained. 

He thinks we can help our bodies a lot to fight infections - by exercising, having quality food, resting... Hours of sleep also help our immune systems. He adds that we know much more about the disease now than we did when it first appeared, so there's reason to be optimistic. He stresses that, although we're a Mediterranean country, the low levels of vitamin D are a frequent occurrence in Croatia: he says we don't spend enough time in the sun, we're over-dressed, and vitamin D is very important. He wants everyone to spend more time outdoors and in the sunshine.

He explained that there are 321 vaccines in the pharmaceutical trials pipeline already, while 32 of them are in one of the three phases of the clinical trials (as of yesterday, nine of them are in phase three of clinical trials). However, he highlights that it's most important for the vaccine to be safe and that the experts in the field of vaccinations say that we can expect to have such a vaccine available sometime during next spring or early summer. 

He finds it worrying that people suffering from other problems are less inclined to see the doctor and that the COVID-19 pandemic shouldn't stop treating other, more deadly diseases. He also stresses the idea of separating those individuals with high viral loads, which are truly infectious. At the same time, we should allow people with low virus count, who cannot infect other people to live their lives normally and not put the unnecessary strain on the health system. 

He gives three scenarios for the future of this pandemic: the first is that the virus will simply disappear from the human population, the second one is that it will appear from time to time, and the third scenario is that the virus will continue to live within the human population, just like the common flu. He concludes by saying that we shouldn't live in fear, but be optimistic if we just make some adjustments inside our heads, which will allow us to live and function normally - while being cautious.

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Friday 11 September 2020 - As part of the national campaign Tjedan Odmora Vrijedan (Holiday-worthy week) there will be Luxury Hotel Rooms in Dubrovnik for 50 Euros in October. We're signed up! But will others follow?

Luxury Hotel Rooms in Dubrovnik for 50 Euros in October? Idemo (let's go)! In an interview given to dnevnik.hr, assistant mayor of Dubrovnik Jelka Tepšić has confirmed that many businesses in and around Dubrovnik are prepared to sign up to the national Tjedan Odmora Vrijedan (Holiday-worthy week) initiative.

The campaign, conceived by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism, has set aside a week – well, actually just over – in which they are encouraging all within the tourism sector to offer a 50% discount. Covering two weekends, from Friday 16 October to Sunday 25th October, the offer should see some luxury hotel rooms, fabulous meals, and transport carriers offering premium products at half the price. If they sign up.

Luxury hotel rooms in Dubrovnik for 50 Euros in October sounds like a good deal. And it is. During a typical October, visitors are still enjoying the sunny streets of the Old City in Dubrovnik. A luxury hotel at that time would usually cost €200 per night. Because of this year's extraordinary circumstances, those rates are currently €113 per night. Dnevnik.hr, therefore, estimates luxury hotel rooms in Dubrovnik for 50 Euros in October.


View of the islet Lokrum from Dubrovnik © visitdubrovnik.hr

Dubrovnik is a special case within Croatian tourism. In recent years it has benefitted from its ability to extend its season beyond that which other Croatian destinations can. This is due to its world-famous attributes and excellent marketing. However, being a city linked mostly by charter flights and large cruise ships, it has suffered greater this year than destinations traditionally visited by road users. It's understandable that they would want to optimistically join the initiative.

Some in the tourism sector seem less keen on the initiative. They regard October as too late in the season for such a scheme. Their pessimism may be justified. It has been a much more difficult month to promote for places other than the special case of Dubrovnik – the sea is beginning to see a drop in temperature and in continental regions, the early mornings and evenings in October may necessitate a hoodie and long pants.

But, that's not to say that such destinations couldn't benefit from attracting, in particular, domestic visitors during the initiative week. That is if such homegrown tourists have any holidays remaining. Only time will tell just how widespread the industry will embrace the initiative, and just how beneficial it will be.

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