ZAGREB, March 3, 2020 - The government takes into account the interests of the Croatian tourism industry and will take measures to mitigate any risks from a possible escalation of the coronavirus situation and the migrant crisis, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in the northern Adriatic resort town of Umag on Monday evening.

Speaking after meeting executives of several large hotel companies, Plenković said that he and Interior Minister Davor Božinović were travelling to Greece on Wednesday to learn first-hand about the situation on the land border between Greece and Turkey.

He said that the representatives of hotel companies had expressed their satisfaction with the way the government was handling the coronavirus situation, without creating panic that might adversely affect the economy and tourism in particular.

Plenković said that Croatia was dealing with the coronavirus situation and the migrant crisis both at the national and the European level. He said that Božinović would be chairing an extraordinary meeting of the EU Home Affairs Council in Brussels on Wednesday.

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said that hoteliers were rightfully concerned, but that things were still going according to plan and the tourism industry was still in the black.

"So far we have recorded a 5% rise in arrivals and a 2% rise in overnight stays. March will see some minuses, but there have been no major cancellations for now," Cappelli said, adding that the situation was under control for now. "70% of our tourists come by car and that's our advantage," he noted.

Croatian Tourism Association director Veljko Ostojić said that there was some concern but there was no reason for panic. "Certain smaller groups who were due to come in the early season are cancelling their visits, certain events and conferences are also being cancelled, but what is positive is that there have been no cancellations for the peak season, although booking is rather slow," he said.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 2, 2020 - The parliament is continuing to work in a regular manner and without any changes after one of the 151 members of the legislature stated that he would be in self-quarantine as a precaution since he had been at an event at which one of the eight Croatian patients diagnosed with coronavirus had also attended.

In response to Hina's queries about the latest developments after parliamentarian Joško Klisović informed the public that he would be self-isolated in the next 14 days, even though he participated in voting in the parliament on Friday, parliament's public relations office said that there will not be any disruptions to the parliament's regular work.

The national parliament responded that no other deputy has reported that they had come into contact with any of the people tested positive for coronavirus.

To date, five positive cases have been registered in Rijeka and three more cases in Zagreb.

More news about coronavirus can be found in the Lifestyle section.

March 2, 2020 - Due to the fear of coronavirus, Korean Air is the first airline to cancel flights to Zagreb. 

Namely, Index.hr reports that Korean Air has canceled its Seoul-Zagreb route. These flights were scheduled to begin on March 31, 2020, but were canceled by South Korea's national carrier Korean Air due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Their website lists the lines that have been canceled by each region of the world. Thus, several flights have been canceled for Europe, with some flying less frequently than before.

The line to Zagreb was canceled, according to current information, until April 23, 2020.

Recall that since the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, numerous flights of various airlines to many destinations have been canceled. The first airline to cancel its flights to Wuhan and parts of China was British Airways, which called for the safety of its staff and said it did not want to jeopardize them.

Some of the other companies, in turn, have said they are reducing the number of flights due to reduced demand.

In addition, South Korea, of which Korean Air is from, has the highest number of coronavirus infected after China with more than 4,000 cases.

More soon...

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

A sixth case of coronavirus in Croatia has been confirmed, reports Index.hr on February 29, 2020.  

The sixth case of coronavirus in Croatia has been confirmed. This is a man from Rijeka who is in close contact with those already ill from Rijeka. According to unofficial information, it is the brother of a woman who became ill after her husband. They are all in good condition and have milder symptoms.

"We have 176 tested so far, two findings are still pending. We have another positive finding. It is a close relative of patients from Rijeka. So everything is under control, it has not expanded as it is spreading across Europe. We have an increase of 200 patients in Italy, 20 patients in France, 19 in Germany ... I thank all Croatian citizens who are in isolation and quarantine ... That is about 120 contacts and 1151 persons under surveillance," Health Minister Vili Beros said.

"The person in Rijeka is feeling well, has mild symptoms. There is no cause for concern. The remaining two positives in Rijeka are also doing well," said Alemka Markotic.

The Croatian Ministry of Health has released some information and contact numbers, as well as sources to find updates to the situation, which you can find here. 

Two eminent Croatian scientists have recently weighed in with their thoughts and expert advice. 

Croatian Scientist Ivan Djikic on Coronavirus: Don't Spread Panic.

Croatian Professor Igor Rudan Addresses Media on Coronavirus.

We will continue to keep you updated with significant developments on the spread of coronavirus in Croatia with dedicated articles on any key developments, but for a rolling update of developments in Croatia and around the world, follow Forrest Stilin's live updates here. 

February 28, 2020 - As the first cases of Coronavirus COVID-19 in Croatia emerge, some official information, contact numbers and update sources from the Ministry of Health. 

WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN IN CROATIA?

The Croatian Institute of Public Health in cooperation with University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb has issued guidelines for health workers in suspected cases of 2019-nCoV. The guidelines provide detailed criteria for determining a suspected infection, guidance for handling a person with suspected infection, procedure for collecting and transferring samples for diagnostics and measures for prevention of disease spreading in health care institutions in suspected cases of 2019-nCoV. The guidelines are regularly updated in accordance with new findings on the epidemic and the disease.

On its website, the Croatian Institute of Public Health publishes information on 2019-nCoV so that the public can stay informed at all times. More information available here. 

Leaflets in Croatian, English and Chinese language have also been issued for travellers to and from the affected areas. The leaflets contain guidelines on prevention measures when travelling and actions to be taken in the case of infection symptoms, as well as contact information of local epidemiologists on call. Leaflets available here.

Detailed instructions for border crossing management of passengers who have been in the areas affected by the 2019-nCoV epidemics in the previous 14 days have also been issued.On its website, the Croatian Institute of Public Health regularly updates the information on the number of cases, with recommendations regarding population safety and protection which can be found here.

A list of epidermiologists on call all over Croatia has also been published. 

And there are also recommendations for travellers to China. 

As elsewhere, the situation is fluid and changing quickly, and we are doing our best to keep you updated with the latest. 

For the latest live updates about COVID-19 in Croatia and elsewhere, click here. 

For more on COVID-19 in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

February 28, 2020 - Coronavirus Croatia update, as the authorities hold a press conference on the latest situation in the country. 

Two new cases of coronavirus infection in Croatia have been confirmed.

Health Minister Vili Beros said that these are close relatives of those infected so far.

One is infected close contact of the infected in Zagreb and the other in Rijeka.

One new infected was hospitalised at the Rijeka Clinical Hospital and he is middle-aged, and the other is infected in Zagreb and he is younger.

The newly infected person in Zagreb was already quarantined, where he was close to the first infected person.

"All cases in Zagreb are related to the first infected person, and the second case in Rijeka is related to the first infected person in Rijeka and all were already under surveillance," Beros said.

The Croatian authorities are confident that they have the situation under control and are taking appropriate measures. Leading Croatian scientists have weighed in with their thoughts in recent days, especially on the issue of the panic surrounding the virus causing more damage than the virus itself. 

You can read more on their expert thoughts in:

Croatian Scientist Ivan Dikic on Coronavirus: Don't Spread Panic.

Croatian Professor Igor Rudan Addresses Media on Coronavirus.

For the latest news on coronavirus Croatia and elsewhere, follow our live updates. 

 

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - The national civil protection authority on Thursday informed business people, members of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), about measures that are being taken with regard to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and its possible impact on the national economy, noting that there is no reason to panic.

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

The head of the national civil protection authority, Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, said that the authority would keep providing business people with information of relevance for their business.

Božinović said that maximum effort was being invested in reducing possible losses and sending a message that Croatia, as the current EU chair, functions in the current situation as it should.

HGK president Luka Burilović said that the HGK was in touch with companies and was following the situation on the ground.

The situation is not alarming for now, companies are trying to adapt and for the time being they are not reporting any significant problems, he said.

He added that the HGK was in touch with retail chains which had prepared for increased sales in recent days.

Burilović said that it was difficult to assess how much the situation would affect the national economy.

He said that the HGK and the national civil protection authority were defining recommendations for companies on how to act in emergency situations and that recommendations would also be made for individual sectors in the event of major problems.

The head of the Croatian Public Health Institute, Krunoslav Čapak, said that it was rather difficult to control arrivals and departures of foreign nationals in Croatia which happened on a daily basis.

"We are doing our best to minimise the risks," he said, adding that the current estimate was that borders should not be closed, including for business entities.

A general recommendation will be published today for business entities regarding the situation with the coronavirus, it was said at the meeting.

The head of the HGK Hauliers Association, Darko Vukadinović, said that the situation with hauliers had its specificities.

"There is practically only one border crossing towards Italy, with which we work the most, and the situation on the Slovenian side of the border is already chaotic," he said, adding that several Croatian truck drivers had been advised to go into self-isolation for 14 days.

"What happens with the truck and the goods in that case is still unclear," he said, adding that there was already a shortage of workers in that sector and that the situation now was even more difficult.

The head of the HGK Small Shipbuilders Association, Boris Vukušić, believes the circulation of people is the biggest problem as domestic workers are leased mostly to Italian shipyards in the north of the country.

We are cautious and there will certainly be disruptions in business, which will impact revenues, he said, expressing hope there would be no major financial losses.

We must not panic but look for markets elsewhere, he said.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Business section.

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

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - The Dr. Fran Mihaljević hospital for infectious diseases in Zagreb has confirmed a third case of novel coronavirus infection and the patient has been hospitalised in Rijeka, the national civil protection crisis team said on Wednesday afternoon.

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

The patient is a man who works in Parma, Italy, a press release said.

Health Minister Vili Beroš said earlier in the day that so far 87 samples had been tested for the coronavirus and that another eight were being tested.

Media say that the second person to contract the coronavirus in Croatia is the brother of a young man who tested positive on Tuesday. The young man works with the Ericsson Nikola Tesla company in Zagreb. Last week he had been to Milan, Italy with his girlfriend to watch a Champions League match; she tested negative.

The Ministry of Science and Education on Wednesday issued recommendations on protective measures against coronavirus to all educational institutions, noting that classes should be held and the curricular reform proceed as planned.

Minister Blaženka Divjak said that the ministry was following the situation closely and that it would report on possible new circumstances and measures in a timely manner.

It is essential to delay until further notice all organised student excursions to affected areas as well as events such as sports competitions involving children from affected areas, she said.

The necessary hygienic measures, that is, general measures of protection according to recommendations by the Croatian Institute for Public Health (HZJZ) must be ensured in all schools.

Active health monitoring and self-isolation on the grounds of a border sanitary inspector's decision lasts for 14 days after leaving affected areas, that is, China, South Korea, and the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto.

Active health monitoring of healthy children and students who arrive from affected areas and show no symptoms of the disease always consists of self-isolation.

Children and students who arrive from affected areas and show some of the respiratory disease symptoms should be treated as infected persons until infection is ruled out through microbiological diagnostics, which means that their hospitalisation is necessary.

Children and students who are undergoing active health monitoring in self-isolation do not attend classes in educational institutions for the duration of the measure.

Travel and events for students and children within Croatia are still possible, provided that children with respiratory symptoms do not take part, and outdoor activities are encouraged, says the ministry.

The ministry emphasises that the situation could change quickly with regard to the epidemiological situation, and that one should follow the HZJZ and Ministry of Health websites, where updates on coronavirus as well as preventive measures are published daily.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

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

February 27, 2020 - Following the current situation with the coronavirus, Croatian national carrier Croatia Airlines continues to operate all scheduled flights to all European destinations.

HRTurizam reports that since January 23 this year, the company has been continuously monitoring and following the recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, Croatian Civil Aviation Agency, Star Alliance, International Air Transport Association (IATA) and other Croatian and international competent institutions and associations regarding the current situation around the coronavirus.

Croatia Airlines' Crisis and Emergency Management Office is actively monitoring the situation and continually plans and takes all necessary steps to keep the health of passengers, aircraft crew and all other employees of the company to the highest possible level, emphasized Croatia Airlines, and added:

The company continuously informs its employees about all current information and new findings regarding the coronavirus in Croatia and abroad, advising on the necessary measures and forms of behavior. The company's operating manuals prescribe procedures and processes for detecting infectious disease in crew members or passengers, and the company is in constant and direct contact with all the airports at which its aircraft land to coordinate procedures and processes regarding the possible occurrence of an infected person with the coronavirus. In addition, the company also has access and means to disinfectants and aircraft disinfection, if necessary, Croatia Airlines concluded. 

Otherwise, Croatia Airlines planes will fly direct to regular destinations in 40 destinations in 26 countries during this year's tourist season.

The third case of coronavirus was confirmed in Croatia on Wednesday. A Croatian man has been diagnosed who works in Italy and is based in Rijeka.

The Clinic for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević ”in Zagreb reported the news that a third case of the coronavirus infection has been confirmed.

"The man works in Parma, Italy. He is housed in a hospital in Rijeka," the Civil Protection Directorate announced.

"The patient became infected in Italy. The diagnosis was performed at the Infectious Diseases Clinic. He will be in isolation until he is healed. The disease is mild," Krunoslav Capak, director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (CES), said.

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

ZAGREB, February 26, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković asked citizens on Wednesday not to panic about coronavirus or buy lots of provisions because "at this moment everything is as it should be."

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

"Any panic, going on big shopping trips, stocking up, should stop. We are not in that kind of situation or at that stage at all. The government will be 100% transparent in real time as it's discovered that someone is positive or not, and we will inform the public. Everything we know, the public will know," Plenković told reporters.

Although the spread of coronavirus is a kind of external shock, a new circumstance whose effect on the economy no one can fully estimate, the government will do everything so that life goes on normally, he added.

"All services have raised their readiness," he said, adding that quarantine premises were also being provided. "Everything at this moment is as it should be. There's no need to raise excessive panic or do something out of the ordinary."

Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said it was difficult to estimate how the epidemic would impact the Croatian economy due to a lack of key data.

He told reporters the government would do its utmost to reduce the potential impact as much as possible, adding that the impact on tourist arrivals from Italy and other European countries should be taken into consideration.

Marić did not rule out additional state budget allocations to cover the costs of fighting coronavirus.

Science and Education Minister Blaženka Divjak told reporters everything was under control in schools with regard to coronavirus and that the situation was normal. Recommendations to cancel trips to Italy and abide by hygiene standards in schools remain in force, she added.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

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