March 16, 2020 - Given the development of the COVID-19 virus spreading, following the instruction of the Civil Protection Staff of Split-Dalmatia County and the conclusions of the Civil Protection Headquarters of the City of Trogir on March 12, 2020, the Mayor of Trogir Ante Bilić passed a decision, which we are transmitting in its entirety.

1.) It is recommended that all citizens of the City of Trogir make the least possible use of the services of the Health Center - Trogir Branch to preserve the integrity of the medical system and to unnecessarily expose themselves and other risks of transmission of the infection. In case of symptoms of respiratory illness (cough, sneezing, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath), consult a doctor of your choice. In case of emergency, call 112 or epidemiologist for the City of Trogir on 0911512021.

2.) Institutions owned by the City of Trogir, the Tourist Board of the City of Trogir will not organize direct work until further notice.

Temporary closure of the permanent exhibition area of the Museum of the City of Trogir for visitors, libraries and reading rooms of the City Library of Trogir is ordered, followed by the space of civil society organizations, associations and communities of associations, as well as spaces used by these associations for regular activities.

3.) The work of the Trogir kindergarten is interrupted, except the kindergarten "Maslačak" at Kneza Trpimira 41, which will be on duty for the duration of the ordered measures.

4.) All sports facilities, gymnasiums, sports fields and playgrounds of the City of Trogir will be closed.

5.) The City Administration of the City of Trogir will cancel receptions, and contact will be possible only by phone, mail or e-mail. Receptions of foreign delegations as well as travel of employees from outside the Republic of Croatia are postponed. 

6.) Officers and employees of the city government, institutions and city companies are obliged to adhere to the recommended hygiene and precautionary measures, to avoid close contact with persons with respiratory symptoms, to maintain the hygiene of the environment and the workplace in terms of cleaning and disinfecting work surfaces and objects, ventilating the workspace and recommend the same to citizens/parties with whom they are in communication.

This decision can also be read on the web pages and bulletin board of the City of Trogir, as well as city institutions and companies.

Source: Trogirski Portal

Follow the latest coronavirus updates on the dedicated TCN section. 

March 16, 2020 - In Croatia, 7 new cases of coronavirus infection have been reported today, which is a total of 56 since the outbreak of the epidemic, among them two doctors from KB Dubrava and one doctor from KBC Rebro. Three people have recovered.

At 9:00 CET, a press conference of the National Civil Protection Headquarters was held at which new information on the coronavirus in Croatia was published, as reported by Index.

Yesterday, the Croatian authorities extended to almost all of Europe the range of countries from which they will have to self-isolate for 14 days after entering Croatia.

It is recommended to further postpone all rallies and organized gatherings attended by more than 100 people. It is recommended that public events of sports or entertainment are not held (night clubs, concerts, etc.) and competitions without spectators.

There are seven more people infected, Minister Beros confirmed. Thus, the number of cases increased to 56. Three people have recovered, which means that 53 active cases of infection are in Croatia.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Case Breakdown

25 – Zagreb
10 – Rijeka
7 – Osijek
6 – Pula
5 – Varazdin
2 – Sisak
1 – Karlovac

56 – Total Cases
0 – Deaths
3 – Recovered

"We are entering the third phase," Beros said. "The headquarters is carefully considering all the measures it adopts. They are based on expert and scientific input. We have the broadest picture. Thanks also to everyone who is adhering to the measures," Beros said.

"For the sake of our credibility, we ask everyone not to take hasty action. It is important that we fight the threat together. We listen to everyone who has an opinion, but the profession must lead the way," Beros said.

Capak: 9,000 in Self Isolation in Croatia

Krunoslav Capak said it was important to maintain a balance between a good epidemiological situation and the severity and breadth of the measures. "It would not be a good idea to close everything, life would stop, and things could not function. We epidemiologists have to propose to the Headquarters and the Government two measures that we think are prioritized," Capak said. We have 9,000 people in self-isolation, he added.

"The coronavirus problem is a widespread and social problem, and we are working not only within Croatia, but in close contact with colleagues in the environment and at EU level to create a framework where everything can flow as little as possible. We have worked intensively on this. Truck transport of goods, goods, medicines, food works in the way that we have established nine convoys, seven of them have gone to Serbia, one is in Novska," said Minister Bozinovic.

"The EU has banned the export of certain medical supplies, masks beyond borders, to allow circulation of what is necessarily maintained within the member states," Bozinovic added.

Bozinovic: 174 Self Isolation Violations

"I have to commend the emergency services, the border police officers who are preventing illegal migration and who are working under the new system," he said. 174 reports of violations of self-isolation were detected. 40 people were reported, Bozinovic reported.

New Cases: 5 Zagreb, 1 Rijeka and 1 Karlovac

Beros revealed that one of the new cases was one from Rijeka, one from Karlovac and five from Zagreb, including a doctor from Rebra. The Rebra doctor became infected with having people back from skiing, Beroš said, praising his quick reaction and the quick reaction of the Rebra staff.

"He was interviewed in self-isolation yesterday, and it was done in detail and we learned all his contacts. It is very important that KBC Rebro is extraordinarily organized. Epidemiologists find an organized and controlled situation. We talk to everyone who has been in contact, epidemiologists will each contact to contact and check," Capak said.

"A small problem with the evacuation of KB Dubrava has arisen, more contacts of people who have been infected have been detected. So, we will not make a total evacuation. 100 patients will remain in KB Dubrava," Beros said.

"The clinical picture of all patients is milder, there are no patients with significant complications. We will probably have someone more severely ill in the near future. We can expect it to be 3 to 5 percent infected," Beros said.

Capak: Focus Shift to Healthcare System Preparation

"Our initial strategy, to discover contacts and follow up, is now changing. It is important now that we prepare the healthcare system to accommodate more cases and more serious cases," Capak said.

"We have to carefully balance between stricter and what is needed. We have to avoid the Italian scenario; all our measures have proven to be right. Our health system is ready," concluded Beros.

Finally, it was noted that the measures recommended by the Headquarters should be adhered to.

Follow our dedicated page for running updates from Total Croatia News on the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

For the latest March 21 update click here.

March 16, 2020 - There are 56 confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Croatia and 7 new cases, including a doctor from KBC Rebro. Two doctors from KBC Dubrava tested positive yesterday. A fourth patient has recovered. There are currently 52 active cases in Croatia.

Foreign nationals entering Croatia from infection hotspots will be subject to a 14-day quarantine, while a 14-day self-isolation is required for Croatian citizens. Information on countries and areas under travel restrictions for passengers arriving in Croatia was updated on Sunday March 15:

All foreign nationals entering Croatia from the following countries/territories:

– People’s Republic of China: Hubei Province
– Italian Republic
– FR Germany: Heinsberg County in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia
– Republic of Korea: Daegu City and Cheongdo Province
– Islamic Republic of Iran

will be informed about their compulsory 14-day quarantine, while all Croatian nationals will be issued a decision requiring them to go into a 14-day self-imposed isolation.

All foreign and Croatian nationals entering Croatia from the following countries/territories:

– People’s Republic of China (except the Hubei province)
– Hong Kong (People’s Republic of China)
– Republic of Korea (except Daegu City and the Cheongdo Province)
– Japan
– Republic of Singapore
– French Republic
– Federal Republic of Germany (except Heinsberg County in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia)
– Republic of Austria
– Swiss Confederation
– Kingdom of Spain
– Kingdom of the Netherlands
– Kingdom of Sweden
– United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
– Malaysia
– Republic of Slovenia
– Australia
– Republic of the Philippines
– Socialist Republic of Vietnam
– Kingdom of Cambodia
– New Zealand
– Kingdom of Denmark
– Kingdom of Norway
– Czech Republic
– Republic of Finland
– Hellenic Republic
– State of Israel
– Ireland
– Republic of San Marino
– Republic of Island
– Republic of Poland
– Romania
– Portuguese Republic
– Slovak Republic
– Hungary
– Republic of Belarus
– Republic of Bulgaria
– Republic of North Macedonia
– Kingdom of Thailand
– Republic of India
– Republic of Indonesia
– Republic of Maldives
– Kingdom of Bahrein
– United Arab Emirates
– Republic of Iraq
– Arab Republic of Egypt
– Lebanese Republic
– Islamic Republic of Pakistan
– Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
– United States of America
– Canada
– Federal Republic of Brasil
– Republic of Chile
– Republic of Costa Rica
– Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria
– Republic of Cameroon
– Republic of Peru
– Republic of Ecuador
– Principality of Andorra
– Republic of Albania
– Republic of Cyprus
– Montenegro
– Principality of Liechtenstein
– Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
– Republic of Malta
– Principality of Monaco
– Republic of Turkey
– Ukraine

will be issued a decision requiring them to go into a 14-day self-imposed isolation.

The list will be updated in accordance with recommendations and the epidemiological situation.

*Follow this page for updates on the coronavirus in Croatia from Total Croatia News. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here. For some of the most commonly asked questions, check out our TCN FAQ Guide here.

Fifty-Six Coronavirus Cases in Croatia

As of March 16, 2020; fifty-six coronavirus (COVID-19) patients have been reported in Croatia: 25 in Zagreb, 10 in Rijeka, 7 in Osijek, 6 in Pula, 5 in Varaždin, 2 in Sisak and 1 in Karlovac.

More than 7,131 people are dead from the virus, which originated in Wuhan City, China; and over 181,686 cases have been confirmed globally. There are 100,806 cases outside of mainland China and 27,980 in Italy. 

UPDATED: March 16, 2020 22:00 CET (Central European Time)

National Civil Protection Headquarters Morning Press Conference

The National Civil Protection Headquarters reported 7 new cases of coronavirus infection at their daily 9:00 CET press conference today as reported by Index. There are currently 56 confirmed cases since the outbreak, among them two doctors from KB Dubrava and one doctor from KBC Rebro. Three people had recovered.

Seven New Cases: 5 Zagreb, 1 Rijeka and 1 Karlovac

Health Minister Vili Beros revealed that one new case is from Rijeka, one from Karlovac and five from Zagreb, including a doctor from KBC Rebra. The Rebra doctor became infected after having contact with people who returned from a ski trip, Beroš said, praising his quick reaction and the quick reaction of the KBC Rebra staff.

Bozinovic: 174 Self Isolation Violations

"I have to commend the emergency services, the border police officers who are preventing illegal migration and working under the new system. We have detected 174 violations of self-isolation orders and 40 people were reported,” according to Bozinovic.

Croatia and Regional Daily Updates

(Updates provided by Index)

21:56 - Minister Darko Horvat also presented the first 10 measures from the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, which will be proposed at tomorrow's government session.

21:30 - The National Civil Protection Headquarters will receive new, greater powers, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced on Monday, announcing a package of 20 changes to the law that the government would send to parliament as a matter of urgency Tuesday to minimize the negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic.

"There are delays in paying taxes and contributions, enabling liquidity, rescheduling loans. Everyone is paying close attention to this crisis. I think we will be able to overcome this crisis without too much financial expense," Plenkovic said during a guest appearance on Dnevnik Nova TV and added that there is a proposal on the table for the state to provide the minimum wage and the employer the remainder, but that the suspension of overhead is not being considered at this time.

19:59 - The new financial measures were announced by the Minister of Finance Zdravko Maric on RTL Danas, explaining exactly what they entail.

"An integral part of these measures is liquidity. On the one hand, there are public benefits - income tax, income tax and contributions. According to the working version, we will agree on the details throughout the day and night until the session, we are talking about a three-month payment delay with a possible additional three months of extensions. On the other hand, there are credit lines and lines in cooperation with HBOR, CNB and HUB, all aimed in some way to focus similarly on credit arrangements," said Maric.

It may also be possible to delay the payment of loans for citizens.

"We have also included citizens' loans. The banks have shown constructive cooperation here, and I believe that we will succeed in achieving that part, especially in the sectors affected by the coronavirus, although I think that few will go untouched by this crisis. We are talking about a period of about three months." said Maric.

19:56 - Minister of Labor and Pension System Josip Aladrovic announces new measures for employers while a guest on N1 Dnevnik.

"The top priority is safeguarding domestic jobs," Aladrovic said, noting that employers will be provided with funding from the state budget and the European Social Fund, which will stimulate employers to retain labor to co-finance wage costs.

19:54 - A new case of violation of self-isolation occurred in Vrgorac. The man, according to Dalmacija danas, walked around for two days on his return from Italy, instead of being in isolation. He was caught by police.

19:40 - The City of Split has paid 400,000 HRK (52,758 EUR) to the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC Split) from its budget supply to co-finance the costs of renovating and equipping hospital facilities for the isolation of coronavirus infected patients, the city administration announced on Monday night.

19:35 - The onslaught of shoppers into stores has not stopped as they stock up on supplies in fear of movement restrictions and supply disruptions due to the coronavirus epidemic. According to Finance Minister Zdravko Maric, turnover has increased about 40 percent over the same period last year. In terms of supply, Croatia may be ahead of other countries because manufacturers and shops were waiting for the tourist season anyway, in which traffic increased, so they are used to oscillations.

19:10 - The first potential case of the coronavirus infection appeared in the Virovitica-Podravina County. The patient was isolated in the Virovitica General Hospital, and that was confirmed by Miroslav Venus, epidemiologist and director of the County Public Health Institute Sveti rok.

19:00 - The Zadar Civil Protection Headquarters adopted similar measures proposed by Zagreb but did not seek permission from the National Headquarters. At today's press conference in Zagreb, Health Minister Vili Beros emphasized that they do not approve of the recommendations issued by the Zadar County Civil Protection Headquarters at this time.

18:50 - Nela Srsen, a Croatian doctor working in Italy, told us about the situation there. She says the virus was not taken seriously in the beginning. The people, he says, were casual and the wrong messages were being sent. She is skeptical that the virus will disappear when it warms up.

17:54 - Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic called on all members of the Croatian Army to be a personal example of responsible behavior within the circumstances of the coronavirus epidemic, to be an example of health care and be prepared to help us get out of this epidemic as soon as possible.

"This government is doing everything it can to manage the crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic, which is not easy at all," Krsticic said, adding that it was precisely through these situations that he has prepared the homeland security system which was not even mentioned during this crisis, though it was often emphasized by Krsticevic.

17:50 - Bozinovic was also asked by journalists how he commented on the information that there were a number of Italian citizens on the Croatian coast, in their facilities and in private accommodation.

"When they arrived - I do not know, but that does not mean that these people should be stigmatized now. They have been good neighbors all these years. All the same epidemiological instructions apply for them, and our services will do their job regardless of nationality," Bozinovic said.

In addition to Bozinovic, the same question was asked to Inspector General Andrija Mikulic, but he declined to answer, saying that it was a question "for those who were the first to welcome these people, that is, the border police," after which he left the press conference.

17:44 - The chief of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the Minister of the Interior Davor Bozinovic made a new statement and answered the question whether and when new, more rigorous measures would be adopted in Croatia.

"Now that would be prejudice, what I can say is that there is always a level of professionalism behind these decisions, in this case the epidemiology profession. You see that states make decisions that are often similar to one another. It is likely that our decisions will be on that track as well, and at the appropriate time.” said Bozinovic.

17:10 - The City of Zagreb has issued recommendations on conduct.

16:50 - Tourism Minister Gary Capelli has revealed what measures will be taken to save jobs in the tourist sector.

"It is important for us that there be delays, such as deferrals of tourist tax, tourist membership fees, hotel owners paying concessions in camps on tourist property, that along with all these go 'three plus three' delays, which delays payment for three months,” the tourism minister noted.

That way, Cappelli adds, wages are also likely to be dealt with, "anything that can be dealt with immediately and we are confident that we can cover these expenses for the next six months."

16:29 - The director of the Zagreb KBC Sestre milosrdnice (KBC Sisters of Mercy) Mario Zovak, announced on Monday that, along with KB Dubrava, as the primary respiratory-intensive center for the most severe coronavirus patients, other hospital facilities must be prepared for the worst-case scenarios and treat the sick.

16:10 - Instructions for going to banks and using ATMs issued due to coronavirus.

To reduce the number of people indoors, HUB (Croatian Association of Banks) advises citizens to make the most of digital banking services (mobile and internet banking) and ATM networks. The ATM network and branch offices will be provided with sufficient cash at all times, and citizens are advised to use digital banking and card payment services, HUB said.

If they have to come to the office, the HUB urges citizens to act in accordance with the recommendations of the health services.

16:06 - Minister Beros said 880 tests are in progress. Over 9000 people are under supervision. Another person has recovered for a total of 4 recovered.

15:53 ​ - One person with possible coronavirus symptoms was admitted to Zadar General Hospital today and kept in hospital isolation. The samples were sent to the Infectious Diseases Clinic “Dr. Fran Mihaljević” and findings are expected soon.

15:51 - The Croatian Parliament tomorrow will introduce special protection measures against the spread of coronavirus, and besides the already introduced measures of disinfection and suspension of group visits and international activities; it will suspend all private visits, introduce safeguards in the canteen as well as a special way of monitoring the work of the parliament.

15:32 - Ministers Unveil Measures to Help Economy: Postponement of Paying Credit, Tax ...

15:29 - The County of Karlovac held a dramatic cut on a coronavirus, on which he gave orders to journalists and threatened prisoners with doctors.

15:18 - The next package of measures to be implemented in the County of Istria aimed at suppressing coronavirus will be targeted at the economy, said the Chief of Staff for Civil Protection of the County of Istria, Dino Kozlevac, at a press conference today.

15:15 - By March 16, 2020; the Epidemiology Service of the Institute for Public Health of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County received a total of 455 people from border sanitary inspectors. Of those, 205 completed health surveillance and all had no symptoms of coronavirus infection. There are currently 86 people undergoing home health surveillance. Two people are still quarantined.

At the moment, one male, a Croatian national, who was sampled for COVID-19 infection, was hospitalized and isolated in Dubrovnik General Hospital.

14:51 - The mayor of Rijeka, Vojko Obersnel, on Monday reported on new measures of the city administration in the fight against coronavirus and stressed that among other things, care should be taken not to jeopardize the liquidity of the city budget.

Obersnel noted that they are aware that entrepreneurs will suffer financial losses and that measures to ease the situation and help are being prepared locally, but he added that they depend on measures taken by the government.

"We have to take care that the liquidity of the city budget is not jeopardized because some obligations have to be fulfilled, and the measure of deferred income tax, which was already introduced, will significantly affect the liquidity," he said.

14:50 - In an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus , the Osijek Civilian Protection Headquarters today recommended limiting the working hours of catering establishments to 22:00 CET, while night clubs in the city will not operate after next weekend.

14:34 - As a part of measures to help entrepreneurs, Bjelovar will abolish the surtax, due to the emergence of coronavirus, and delay the payment of utility fees for companies and craftsmen, said Bjelovar Mayor Dario Hrebak on Monday.

The decision to abolish surtax should come into force in early May, since it has to be approved by the City Council, while the decision to defer the utility bills for all businesses and craftsmen for a month or longer and without interest, applies from the beginning March.

14:33 - Multiple people have violated the self-isolation rule. In Podravina, police received more than 20 reports of people violating self-isolation orders. Of the 23 people, police said ePodravina found that five of them had violated the rules of self-isolation.

14:30 - SDP President Davor Bernardic says it is necessary to move to more rigorous measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic and called on the National Civil Protection Headquarters to not endanger the lives of citizens.

14:20 - Zagreb City Cemeteries, operating at Zagreb Holding, issued recommendations regarding funerals during a coronavirus pandemic.

14:16 - Labor and Pension Minister Josip Aladrovic has announced that the government will also financially stimulate employers to retain workers. He says they are working on measures which they will present to the government tomorrow.

14:05 - Finance Minister Zdravko Maric said today that internal meetings are underway to determine how the deferral of income taxes, contributions, contributions and loan rescheduling will be implemented.

13:55 - The Croatian Chamber of Pharmacies has issued recommendations on the responsible behavior of patients in pharmacies during the coronavirus epidemic, which urge them to keep a distance from pharmacists and people waiting in line, and restrictions have been imposed on dispensing products per patient.

13:43 - As the decision of the Government of Croatia of March 13, 2020 states that elementary school employees are obliged to ensure the admission of students attending class in cases when both parents are employed and there is no other possibility of childcare. The Union of Croatian Teachers provided an analysis conducted at 627 elementary schools regarding the number of students arriving in grades 1-4, as of March 16, 2020. According to a statement, this provides a more realistic picture of student arrivals by county, and so that principals can reconsider their decisions about the necessity of all staff to attend schools.

According to the analysis of received data received from 627 elementary schools as of 13:00 CET; here is a list of students (1st through 4th grade students) who have arrived in schools:

Zagreb County - 6 students (of which 2 extended stays)
Krapina-Zagorje County - 0 students
Sisak-Moslavina County - 41 students (of which 1 extended stay)
Karlovac County - 0 students
Varaždin County - 1 student
Koprivnica-Križevci County - 0 students
Bjelovar-Bilogora County - 0 students
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County - 7 students (all extended stays)
Lika-Senj County - 0 students
Virovitica-Podravina County - 2 students
Požega-Slavonia County - 2 students (both extended stay)
Brod-Posavina County - 2 students
Zadar County - 2 students
Osijek-Baranja County - 1 student
Šibenik-Knin County - 0 students
Vukovar-Srijem County - 0 students
Split-Dalmatia County - 20 students (of which 11 extended stay)
County of Istria - 1 pupil
Dubrovnik-Neretva County 3 students (of which 2 are extended stay)
Međimurje County - 0 students
City of Zagreb - 21 students (9 of which extended stay)

TOTAL: 109 students (of which 34 extended stays)

13:40 - The Croatian Employers Association (HUP) Trade Association points out that there is enough food and hygiene supplies and urges customers not to overdo quantities and to look after the health and safety of the shop employees when buying.

13:15 - The first coronavirus infected patient in Karlovac County is in Ogulin, who became infected in Rijeka in contact with an acquaintance without knowing it, was in the pediatric outpatient clinic of Ogulin Health Center on Friday, Mayor Damir Jelic said on Monday.

13:07 - The City of Zagreb sent a statement today informing them of the delay in conducting the procedure for enrolling children in the first grade of primary school.

13:05 – Press conference in Split is underway. "There is still no positive finding in the County and that is good news. However, this situation cannot be defeated by any institution, it can be only be overcome together. This is the only guarantee of success," said Mayor Blazenko Boban.

13:01 - Crikvenica Introduces Citizens Assistance Service

From today, March 16, 2020; the citizens of Crikvenica will be provided with a free telephone number 0800 2999, which will receive calls from 0 to 24 hours. The Crikvenica City Emergency Service will be available via phone. An on-duty service was set up to minimize leaving the home and personal contact of people, based on the recommendation of the Civil Protection Staff. It will be available to the citizens of the City of Crikvenica, who are at risk, the elderly and the disabled.

12:30 - "None of the patients are positive. I am not afraid. We are taught about all kinds of risks, and I have nothing to fear because the disease is not severe," the minister said.

12:04 - According to instructions from the Ministry of Justice, visits to prisoners in the Zagreb Prison are restricted until April 1, which includes prisoners held in the investigative prison.

12:02 - The residents of Zagreb seem to have taken the instructions of the National Headquarters seriously. As you can see in the photos taken today, the City Center is almost completely empty, and the residents who took to the streets are wearing masks. Markets are empty, cafes are closed, terraces are empty, trams are empty.

11:47 - Minister Beros just came to KB Dubrava. A press release is expected after he comes out.

11:45 - The residents of Bjelovar decided early this morning to rush to the stores and replenish their supplies because of the coronavirus. The photos and shots that come from that city are amazing. More here.

11:37 - Zagreb Zoo Closed to Visitors

"The Zagreb Zoo cares for the animals daily, and in order to provide them with adequate care during the COVID-19 virus pandemic, the zoo is closed to visitors.

The decision takes effect immediately, and by which time this mode of operation of the Garden will last depends on the information and instructions that the Garden will receive from the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Zagreb and Civil Protection," read a statement signed by Damir Skok, Director of the Zagreb Zoo.

11:36 - Additional Protection Measures for Spar Employees

"In order to further protect our employees who are in close contact with customers, we have enabled protective masks, gloves and disinfectants.

Also, for our customers in all branches of SPAR and INTERSPAR we have provided visual markings that show one meter, and the carts, baskets and all surfaces in the shops are regularly disinfected.

To ensure unhindered supply, all our branches will operate on regular business hours. Even in malls which work part-time or are closed, SPAR and INTERSPAR stores will operate normally. In determining working hours, we follow all Crisis Staff instructions.

Also, if necessary and following the instructions of the National Headquarters, we are ready to introduce regulation of entry into shops.

We urge our customers to comply with all the protection measures prescribed by the competent services. This is how you protect yourself, our employees and the entire country," Spar reported today.

11:26 - 8500 people in Croatia are in self-isolation. We have learned that the police are tracking down violators.

There are about 8500 people in mandatory self-isolation, according to a press conference this morning by the National Civil Protection Headquarters. However, not everyone is adhering to the measures they have been given. Despite being potential spreaders of the infection are not staying home but are going outside. Police received 174 reports, and 40 violations of self-isolation have been identified. These cases were handed over to the State Inspectorate for further action, including the imposition of fines.

11:15 - "It is not a good thing that there are irresponsible individuals here, specifically individuals who are literally creating problems with deviant and idiotic behaviour, there is an ongoing cyber-attack on Srce and Carnet," Divjak said.

11:03 – More About the First Case in Karlovac:

The Civil Protection Headquarters of Karlovac held a press conference and reported that the first infected person from the Karlovac area is from Ogulin and became infected in Rijeka as reported by Radio Mrežnica. He reported to the Ogulin Health centre on Saturday after he experienced symptoms. The day before he had been with the child at the Health Centre. All his contacts under supervision, Radio Mreznica reports.

11:01 - Emmezeta announced truncated working hours: 10:00 to 18:00, and their store in Pula is closed.

10:54 - In accordance with the recommendations of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and the precautionary measures during the course of the Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19) of the Croatian Institute of Public Health; the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery informs the public to further postpone all upcoming public gatherings and programs. (exhibitions, workshops, lectures and similar). Individual and group visits to the Lotrščak Tower were suspended until the precautionary measures were abolished, the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery reported.

10:30 - "Phase 3 has been activated. As of today, we are in an emergency facility, we only inspect and operate on emergency cases. KBC Osijek will treat potential patients who need respirators.

Positive patients with mild symptoms will be treated in all Slavonian hospitals. We have everything, protective equipment, the crisis headquarters is supplying us daily with the quantities we need. If KBC does not have enough resources for the respiratory centre, we will be able to take staff and equipment from other hospitals. We have 7 confirmed cases, 6 of them are symptomless and one has a temperature. Today we send 13 more samples and we will know the results in the late evening," said Dr. Zubcic.

10:25 - "Care should be taken and caution, but it does not make sense to close everything. The economy is important, and it must not stop. The fact that the health centres are on duty does not mean that they are testing," said Ivanovic from the Osijek Civil Protection Headquarters. "I warn everyone who sees this situation as an opportunity to make money, I warn them not to do this. I think we are all equally responsible, involved, and we can all do the right thing. By 13:00 CET we will prepare a package of measures for local government units and a package of measures for businessmen. Everyone can count on us,” he added.

10:23 - The market in Rijeka is half empty.

10:13 - Zagreb City Emergency Management Office Mayor Pavle Kalinic, was a guest on N1 Television, and commented on a document urging the Zagreb to urgently introduce rigorous measures - limiting the operation of shops and shutting down catering establishments, services, gyms, sports and recreational centres and clubs.

"I signed it and I take full responsibility for it. It is a shame that the document was leaked, but I immediately confirmed its authenticity because there is no reason to hide it," he says.

"These measures are the bare minimum the National Headquarters can accept. China implemented rigorous measures, and Germany has begun to close borders. Everyone is doing something, and we have a situation where a truck can enter Croatia but cannot leave. For the protection of residents it is now essential that the national headquarters to take action," Kalinic said.

He said that Croatia had undertaken stringent measures too late.

"We were late in decision-making by two weeks. Italy is too late, yesterday they were almost 360 dead because they postponed necessary measures. I am afraid that exponential growth (of new cases) will commence. The government will have to accept that sooner or later," Pavle Kalinic said on Novi dan and added that Zagreb public transport is disinfected three times a day.

9:27 - In Osijek-Baranja County seven people are infected with a coronavirus. The patients were placed in the Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek, and this morning they came forward with a statement announcing the hospital's further work. “In accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Initiation of the third phase of the fight against the epidemic; non-urgent examinations and the elective surgery program are postponed until further notice,” the hospital said.

8:20 - Health Minister Vili Beros confirmed this morning to N1 that doctor from KBC Rebro is positive for the coronavirus. He was treated epidemiologically, the minister added.

8:10 - Border crossings with Serbia-Montenegro are closed due to the coronavirus for all but their nationals and truck drivers, border checks have been intensified on all border crossings of Croatia with Slovenia, Hungary and Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatian Auto Club (HAK) reported on Monday.

Therefore, longer waiting times for passenger and especially freight vehicles are possible.

7:41 - All Bosnia and Hercegovina citizens coming from abroad are going into isolation today, Klix reports. The decision was made on Friday and is effective as of 6:00 this morning.

7:33 - The chief of the Osijek Civil Protection Headquarters said that the remaining findings from Zagreb showed that there were no new infected in the Osijek-Baranja County. "There are still 7 positives. About 440 people are in self-isolation, and that number is increasing," Ivanovic said.

7:29 - Capak said a patient in Rijeka was also discharged. It is the third recovery in Croatia. "We can't avoid the doctor's contact with the infected. We're doing everything we can to stop it. Epidemiologists have done everything at Dubrava KB, it was like Rebro. Everything was checked, contacts were excluded ... This is one extremely organized hospital. We didn’t need to introduce any measures. People who have symptoms are wearing masks," Capak said.

7:27 - After Westgate announced yesterday that their hours would be shortened, the same announcement was made on the Supernova page.

"The health and well-being of our customers, employees, partners and our entire community is always our top priority. We want to inform you that in accordance with more stringent preventative measures, new working hours are being applied to prevent the possibility of coronavirus spreading.

Monday - Saturday: 10:00 to 18:00
Sunday: Closed

Retail Food Stores / Pharmacies / Drug Stores / Post Offices / Small Animal Stores Are the Exception and will keep same working hours! Thanks for your understanding," Supernova reported.

7:20 - "It is not realistic to expect that the situation will be resolved in 2 weeks. We will see the development of the situation, the government meets every day, it is not a problem to make a decision in an instant," said HZJZ chief Krunoslav Capak in a guest appearance on Dobro Jutro Hrvatska (Good Morning Croatia).

(Updates provided by Index)

Total Croatia News Coronavirus Coverage

• City of Zagreb to Allow Bill Paying Delay to Citizens Over 65 - here.
• Croatian Government to Pay Companies to Keep Hold of Staff - here.
• Rovinj Feeling Coronavirus Consequences as Tourist Numbers Plummet - here.
• How Much is Coronavirus Really Making Croatian Hotel Industry Suffer? - here.
• City of Trogir Announces Guidelines and Recommendations for Coronavirus Crisis - here.
• Croatian Hotels in Coronavirus Crisis: Cancellations, Temporary Closures, and More - here.
• Self-Isolating in Split? Your Guide to Online Delivery Services - here.

Total Slovenia News & Total Montenegro News Updates

• Coronavirus & Slovenia, Night 16 March: 253 Cases, Flights Suspended - here.
• Coronavirus in Montenegro: COVID-19 FAQs, Health & Travel Update - here.

Live World Coronavirus Updates

• Live world updates from CNN here.
• Live world updates from The Guardian here.
• Live world updates from Al Jazeera here.

Live Health Organization Coronavirus Updates

• Live updated international map tracking spread of coronavirus from Johns Hopkins CSSE here.
• Live updates from the World Health Organization (WHO) here.
• Live updates from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (daily updates at 15:00 CET in Croatian) here.

UPDATED: March 16, 2020 22:00 CET (Central European Time)

For the latest March 21 update click here.

*Follow this page for updates on the coronavirus in Croatia from Total Croatia News. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here.

In the first half of the year, the most significant source of revenue for hotels along the Croatian Adriatic are typically conferences and congresses that were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes on the 16th of March, 2020, the closure of most Croatian hotels due to coronavirus for two weeks, as was reported by the Croatian Tourism Association (HUT) on Friday, still doesn't represent a significant loss in terms of revenue for the sector, which in the first quarter still records only minuses, and its first revenues are just starting to be generated from Easter onwards.

As Easter is less than a month away, the two weeks mentioned would therefore give the Croatian hotel industry plenty of time to ''warm up'' for their first guests this year, and judging by past seasons, about 40 percent of hotels are waiting until after Easter precisely for that, despite the situation with coronavirus.

In this whole blurry situation, due to the uncertainty of what the epidemiological picture will look like after these two weeks or even after another month, it would be much more difficult for them to recruit seasonal workers, which due to movement restrictions will be technically difficult and it will be problematic to try to anticipate employment needs.

In the case of closures, Zagreb hotels, which expected a lot from revenues related to the current Croatian presidency of the EU Council in the first half of the year, will suffer more damage. The success Zagreb's hotels once predicted is now questionable due to a series of cancelled meetings.

The first quarter is symbolic for Croatian hotels.

When it comes to the first quarter, in the years when Easter falls in April, the results of the hotel business in Croatia remain symbolic. Seasonality is a hallmark of business for those who have invested heavily in hotels, such as Valamar Riviera, which earned just 53 million kuna in the first quarter, with operating costs of 160 million kuna.

In the first three months of this year, Valamar generated only 2.4 percent of its total annual revenue of 2.2 billion kuna, or only 95,000 overnight stays, with an average daily price of 522 kuna.

The largest hotel companies, Valamar and Maistra, also reported a lot of cancellations for the period from April to May, while the summer season is still on the cards as far as they're concerned. If the coronavirus situation improves, last minute bookings are also expected.

When it comes to Easter, 57 percent of hotels were opened during Easter last year in Croatia, which is 661 hotels out of 1167, which is about 60 more than back in 2017 when Easter fell a week earlier.

Specifically, hoteliers tend to calculate when it actually pays to open a facility, as Easter is followed by very uncertain spring months, such as the rainy and cold May of 2019, which cut incomes for many.

The current coronavirus outbreak has made many place their travel plans on hold...

Coronavirus has a strong influence on the global travel and business industry, in which conferences, trade shows and business meetings have been being cancelled. The latest Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) speed survey conducted among 1,000 of its member companies about ten days ago found Asia to be the most affected.

There, at least three of the four companies reported cancelling or suspending all or most of their business trips. Travel delays to Asia are significantly higher than their last survey, just ten days earlier, with 19 percent less travel to Hong Kong, 46 percent less travel to Taiwan, and 71 percent less travel to other Asia Pacific countries.

Half of GBTA members reported that their companies had cancelled or suspended business trips to Europe, eight percent more than ten days earlier.

Nearly one in five companies cancelled or suspended travel to North America, down from just two percent ten days earlier. One-third discontinued travel to Latin America, and nearly half cancelled travel to the Middle East.

More than four in ten (41 percent) GBTA member companies stated that their company had cancelled or suspended all international travel, regardless of the destination region.

GBTA member companies cancelled on average 43 percent of business trips (all global regions) previously booked for March 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Almost 60 percent of companies, either hotel or airline companies, admit that coronavirus has already significantly soured their revenue.

Make sure to follow our business and travel pages for more. For more on coronavirus and Croatia, follow our dedicated section.

March 16, 2020 - A look at how Croatian hotels are handling the coronavirus crisis in the country.

HRTurizam writes that there is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the tourism sector most. The borders are closed, all events are canceled, there is a ban on gatherings over 100 people, schools, colleges and kindergartens are closed, and the recommendation is not to travel, or to keep people in self-isolation. 

Everyone in the tourist chain is under attack, from travel agencies and renters to hotels, many of which have had to close their facilities temporarily. As we can see from the reports on the Zagreb Stock Exchange, hotels are registering cancellations of bookings and various gatherings in March, April and May, and a fall in stock prices. Still, so far, there are no significant cancellations from June onwards, which is good news.

Although the current annual reservation status is better than last year, Valamar Riviera reports that the number of new bookings has slowed significantly since the coronavirus escalated. The current cancellations of bookings recorded primarily relate to the period from March to May this year and only to a lesser extent to the rest of the main season, which accounts for over 85% of annual operating revenues, says the Zagreb Stock Exchange.

Hotel Medora Auri 4* started operating on February 4, 2020, but will be closed from March 14 to March 30, 2020, respectively, subject to harsh travel conditions from the major markets, until the above circumstances change. Other facilities at Medora hotels and resorts do not anticipate a change in the schedule of operational work.

According to Maistra and Adris Group, business operations were in line with expectations by early March, but after adopting emergency measures and recommendations in the Republic of Croatia and other neighboring countries, cancellations of bookings for accommodation and meetings for March, April and May 2020 began, mainly in the MICE segment. There are currently no significant cancellations for reservations from June onwards.

Liburnia Riviera Hotels say the coronavirus has a negative impact in terms of reservation cancellations and reduced capacity occupancy. According to current data, 19% of total confirmed bookings were canceled in February, 64% in March and 62% in April. Cancellations in May and June are slightly lower at 31% and 21% respectively. Liburnia Riviera hotels say that the continued duration of the disease will continue to affect their business adversely, and its effects will depend on the length of its exposure in Croatia and the countries of origin of its clients.

The Imperial Riviera said that the current state of bookings is at the level of last year, but the entry of new bookings has slowed significantly. Cancellations are mainly for April and May.

Plava Laguna states that from the end of February, the Company recorded cancellations in the amount of 25% for March and April, while there are no cancellations in the high season periods.

Given the current situation at Maestral Hotels, it is estimated that the opening of the hotel for this tourist season will not be achieved at the planned pace, and only one hotel is currently open. Bookings from focal states for group arrangements for March and April were canceled, and new bookings for the rest of the year slowed down by 50% compared to last year.

A large number of canceled reservations in the preseason and early summer season are also recorded in Vodice Hotels, which is why the official opening has moved towards the middle of April.

According to the first indicators, Jadran Hotels expected a successful tourist year, but in the last two weeks, numerous reservations for April and May were canceled, and sales for the rest of the season were stopped. Furthermore, the inflow of funds was halted by agencies seeking price reductions and more flexible cancellation and deposit terms.

Palace Hotel Zagreb reports that after adopting extraordinary measures and recommendations, cancellations of reservations and meetings for March, April and May 2020 began.

FTB Tourism plans to open their hotels in Cavtat on April 1 and 19, however, they cannot say for sure given the slow entry of new bookings and the cancellation of existing bookings. The high risk to the business, they say, is undoubtedly the legal restrictions on the movement of citizens of certain countries, especially the main markets, Great Britain and France.

At a meeting of the Presidents of the Board of Directors of the members of the Croatian Tourism Association, the leading hotel companies decided to suspend the operation of most hotels for two weeks. HUT points out that in each coastal destination, one hotel accommodation will be provided, while several hotels will be provided in Zagreb.

As the main tourist season brings more than 85 percent of the annual operating income to hotels, as well as to everyone, we hope that the whole situation will settle down as soon as possible and that the tourism sector can still count on turnover in the main tourist season. It is difficult to predict how much this situation will affect travel in general, i.e., how long it will take to activate the tourism market. 

Follow the latest coronavirus updates on the dedicated TCN section. 

March 15, 2020 - Croatian journalist working in Bonn, Germany, Dunja Dragojević, writes for DW about how she was supposed to come back home to Croatia, to her Korčula home this week, when the global coronavirus health crisis prevented that from happening.

Dragojević is a well-known last name on Korčula, in the town of Vela Luka, which is precisely where she was planning to travel to, she says in her column on Deutsche Welle:

"While you're reading these lines, I was supposed to be enjoying the view from the header photo. Live. This photo is the screensaver on my computer in my Bonn office. Every day when I turn on my computer, I take a deep breath and think about how I'd rather be on the terrace of my house on Korčula.

I've had one foot firmly in Bonn for years, but I try to make my other foot jump to my island as often as I can. And I have to admit it has been quite successful. Back in the day, Bonn and Split were on opposite sides of Europe, with at least two or more days of travel or hundreds of Euros of expenses between them. But, after the Eurowings, EasyJets and RyanAirs appeared, they became two cities with less than two hours of pleasant flight between them, for which you could get a ticket for under 50 Euros. I had one of those tickets, and I planned to go to Croatia for five days, leaving this Sunday - flying from Bonn to Split and then take a ferry to Vela Luka. Up until a couple of days ago, I couldn't even imagine the trip not happening.

On Tuesday, I returned from Vienna, where I went to report on the exhibition opening in Kunsthalle; I flew on the Eurowings flight, travelled and lived entirely normally. Corona was savaging Italy, of course, and it was in the media and on my radar, but not in my life. My kids were regularly going to school, their football, handball, and tennis practices, celebrating the carnival, which is significant in the Bonn region. North Rhine-Westphalia, the German state in which I live, seemed to be one of the hotspots since Corona appeared in Germany, partially because the carnival helped the spread of the virus. My friends and family from Croatia asked about the situation and our health, but I ignored some of them, not even replying, as I was annoyed by the panic which was created. I thought people around me felt the same. The news of 600, 700, 800 infected in North Rhine-Westphalia made people say the same things I did: so what, hundreds, and thousands get the common flu each year. The shelves in the stores were filled with everything except disinfectants and toilet paper (I still don't understand what the deal with the TP is?!). Honestly, at that point, I thought it was cool to ignore Corona and the threat it posed.

Sometime during Thursday, March 12th, I was shocked by how severely and how fast the things were developing, so I started to wonder if I left for Croatia, would I be able to return to my family in Bonn five days later. Croatia had a very low number of infected people. My husband said he'd go. A colleague told me that there are no guarantees, but that he would go. I'm leaving tomorrow, a friend said to me on Thursday, as she had planned to spend the weekend in Makarska. Eurowings emailed me a reminder that I can self-check-in for my flight. It made me consider why I was panicking. Eurowings flies to Split, and on Korčula, in my deserted cove, I'm as safe as I can be. Croatia is not a high-risk zone; in five days, things won't get that bad. And then a thought came to mind: why am I only thinking about myself? What if I'm carrying the virus, and I'm not even aware of that, and we know that's possible? I recently reported from Berlinale, and then from Vienna, and there were three thousand people at the opening. What if I were to infect my parents, and their age puts them in the high-risk group? What if I became the one who brought coronavirus to my little island? And when all of those questions started racing in my mind, that's when I decided, no matter what German or Croatian institutions said, I won't be travelling to Croatia. That's the moment when I realized that this is the moment of solidarity Angela Merkel talked about and that our lives in the upcoming days and months will often test our solidarity, readiness to make sacrifices, and, in a way, our humility. I realized that the coronavirus would change our lives dramatically, and that brought me back to the early nineties, in my Split school year 1991/1992, a year without school trips, a year in which my safe and careless life changed.

On Friday, I came to work and told everyone I wasn't travelling. My life still appeared quite normal on that Friday the 13th. The kids went to school. My daughter planned a birthday party for her 15th birthday; in various WhatsApp groups on my phone messages kept coming organizing the car-pooling schedule for the football and handball games that my son was supposed to participate in during the weekend. And then, during the morning, the news came that the Bundesleague is postponed, but after the next Tuesday. The friend sent me the message "I haven't left" with the photo of the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Međimurje County in which it's stated that the people coming from Germany to Croatia need to self-isolate for 14 days. When I came back home from work, I found out that my children will have a forced five-week vacation, and after that, the emails started arriving: all sports training and games are cancelled until mid-April, and nobody dares forecast what will happen then. In the meantime, all the museums closed, concerts and theatre shows were cancelled in Bonn. And the news about Bundesleague we published a couple of hours ago was yesterday's news - all of the games were immediately cancelled. Firstly they were supposed to be played in front of empty bleachers, and then they were cancelled.

On Saturday I went shopping: I needed, among other things, flour because I wanted to make pancakes. I had to go to five stores, and in all of them, the shelves with flour, UHT milk, and pasta were empty. The coronavirus has, undoubtedly, taken over Germany, no matter what the actual data on the number of infected people says. And it says that there are 4000 infected people and eight deceased as of Saturday night (March 14th). After this weekend, nothing will be the same in Germany as it was before this Friday the 13th.

Eurowings sent me an email with the subject "COVID-19 Update", in which they inform me that the "air in the airplane consists of 60% of the fresh air from the inside" and that the "air circulating within the cabin has been filtered and dust, bacteria, and viruses removed from it." We can thank the filtering process for the fact that the air in the airplane is as clean as in an operating room. But, at the end of the email, they still offered to replace my ticket free of usual charges for a later flight to Split. That's precisely what I did. My new planned date is May 3rd. Then a new email arrived in my inbox, telling me that I'm 51 days away from my flight. I hope I am. I hope I'll be able to enjoy the view from my terrace on Korčula in 51 days. And that life will get back to normal. However, currently, it's very difficult to believe it will."

Read more about the COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Croatia on our dedicated page.

March 16, 2020 - McDonald's restaurants in Croatia will close on Tuesday, March 17, for visiting guests. The decision to close the restaurants was taken as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and to protect the health and safety of McDonald's employees and guests.

McDonald's restaurants in shopping malls will run according to the instructions of the malls themselves and will remain open for now, reports Vecernji List.

Guests will be able to pick up their orders at McDrive and through delivery, following a decision by the National Civil Protection Headquarters.

“Just as we are responsible for serving our guests safe food, we are also responsible for our employees who need to be ensured a safe working environment. Their safety and health are our priority. With strict adherence to the quality, hygiene and cleanliness procedures that we carry out, we believe that closing our restaurants is one of the measures we will take to ensure this safety and help prevent the spread of the pandemic,” said Pavel Pavlicek, McDonald's Croatia director.

As an additional precautionary measure, employees are measured by digital contactless thermometers on arrival. In the event of a fever, the staff will be removed from work with instructions to contact their physician.

All employees working with cash are required to wear disposable protective gloves, and card payment devices in the McDrive line are regularly disinfected.

From Monday, March 16, delivery zones will also be expanded to cover the entire city area of Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Osijek and Pula, and delivery will be opened in Karlovac.

The big news is that delivery will be open earlier, already at 9 am, instead of at 11 am, and customers can order until 11 pm by using the Glovo app or Pauza.

In non-delivery cities, guests are invited to pick up their orders through McDrive.

In line with more stringent preventative measures, all 14 Supernova centers in Croatia will work shortened hours from Monday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. They will be open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and will be closed on Sundays, the Supernova group said. On Sundays, only grocery, pharmacy, post office, drugstore and pet food stores will operate.

The administration of Westgate Shopping City has decided to shorten the opening hours temporarily. The Center's new opening hours are from 10 am to 6 pm (daily), which will take effect from Monday, March 16, 2020.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

The current coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic has well and truly dragged the world into a state of total disarray and with the health systems of many countries struggling, and the economy taking a proverbial nose dive, Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac has decided to close his company as of Monday.

As Novac writes on the 15th of March, 2020 apart from those who are able to do their jobs from the comfort and safety of their own homes, no Rimac Automobili employee will come to work.

Mate Rimac is one of Croatia's most incredible entrepreneurial stories and is an idol for many in a country which still doesn't take that kindly to startups, would-be entrepreneurs and investors, both foreign and domestic. This innovative entrepreneur from Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is very well known for his humanitarian approach to very many things, and his latest Facebook status just goes to show that he is constantly thinking of others.

''Based on the available data, we believe that the most responsible decision for the health of our employees and their families was to close the company from Monday. Those that can work from home will do so but of course things will slow down. The health of our employees is the first priority. So all 700+ Greyp and Rimac employees in all our locations will not come to our facilities next week.

We are monitoring the situation closely and will make further decisions based on the situation next week.

Btw. We don’t have any case yet so this is a pure precaution.''

In response, commenters praised Rimac, stating that this was the ''only proper solution'' and that the beloved Rimac Automobili founder is ''always a step ahead''.

For more on the unfolding coronavirus situation in Croatia, make sure to follow our dedicated section for rolling information. For more on business, companies, entrepreneurs and products from Croatia, follow our business page.

ZAGREB, March 15, 2020 - Economy Minister Darko Horvat said on Sunday in light of the coronavirus epidemic that Croatia had sufficient commodity stockpiles in warehouses to last for a month in the event of a government intervention.

"I just got back from the field. The warehouses are full, any supplies that are released are replenished. We are ready for nearly a month if the need arises for such an intervention," Horvat told reporters ahead of a meeting of the national civil protection service.

He said that the State Inspectorate would monitor price movements for staples, and that if necessary, he would ban exports of certain products. "This is a process of creating tools so that we can intervene if necessary."

Horvat also said that "a sanitary corridor" was being devised to ensure medical supplies for Croatia.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has adopted a decision on mobilisation and work schedule for health institutions and their staff as well as for private health workers within the public health care network.

The decision was prompted by the need to implement public health care measures during the COVID-19 epidemic, Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Sunday.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 15, 2020 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Sunday that sales in shops on Saturday, compared with the same day in 2019, had increased by 41%.

"Yesterday, compared with the same day last year, sales increased by 41%," Marić told reporters after a meeting of the national civil protection service.

"Some retail chains told me that in the first half of the day consumption was nearly double the amount on the same day last year, but things stabilised towards the end of the day," the minister said.

He praised all warehouse workers, drivers and cashiers for their work. "All of us who went to the shops yesterday could see for ourselves that they were doing an excellent job," Marić said.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.