ZAGREB, 11 March 2021 - In the past 24 hours 777 new coronavirus cases have been registered in Croatia, Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday, adding that due to the rise in infections, the numbers of active cases and hospitalisations had gone up 19% and 18% respectively on the week.

"Each one of us affects developments by our own example and behaviour, so the trend of increase in infections can be avoided," he said at a cabinet meeting. He called for caution so as not to cancel the progress achieved in curbing the disease, notably due to the situation in neighbouring countries.

The minister said 408,270 COVID vaccine doses had arrived in Croatia so far and that 288,982 had been administered, with a little over 158,000 people receiving the first and over 65,000 both shots.

He said 73,078 doses had been administered to medical workers, with 10,316 receiving the first and 31,381 both shots.

Suspected vaccine side effects have been reported 1,342 times.

"By the end of March, we expect an additional 335,106 doses," Beroš said, adding that 743,376 doses will have been received in total by the end of the month.

The preliminary results of a serological analysis of 1,400 samples done by the Croatian Institute of Public Health show that 25% were positive, which indicates the number of people who were in contact with the virus, he said. After the neutralisation test, we will know how many are immune to COVID-19, he added.

By 5 March, more than 5,500 post-COVID patients have been hospitalised, most of them with respiratory problems.

ZAGREB, 11 March 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 777 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 10 deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Thursday.

The number of active cases in Croatia stands at 4,289, including 811 patients in hospitals, 79 of whom are on ventilators.

There are currently 16,233 people in self-isolation.

Since the first case in February last year, a total of 248,838 people infected with coronavirus have been registered, and 5,635 have died.

A total of 238,914 people have recovered, 459 of whom in the last 24 hours.

To date, 1,410,383 people have been tested, including 6,755 over the past 24 hours of which 11.5 have returned positive.

ZAGREB, 11 March 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday the epidemiological situation in Croatia was still relatively good, despite deteriorating somewhat in the past three weeks, which was why he appealed for constant and additional caution.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he said Croatia was sixth in the EU in terms of lowest weekly incidence of new coronavirus cases and eighth in terms of lowest weekly COVID mortality, and that it had the lowest weekly incidence in Central and Mediterranean Europe.

Plenković said the quite high increases in Italy, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia should lead to greater caution in Croatia given that restrictions had been relaxed. "Now it's very important that greater individual responsibility follow the new context of the social life."

There is an increase of new infections in the coastal counties. The common intention is to ensure the tourist season, so it's important that people remain alert and adhere to the recommendations and measures so that we can stabilise the trend we had and see how to restore all economic activities, he added.

Plenković went on to say that a meeting was held yesterday with representatives of the Women's Room and that it was agreed to draft a national strategy preventing sexual violence. The document will be sponsored by the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, with the participation of other departments.

He announced that as part of amendments to the Criminal Code, sexual harassment will be prosecuted ex-officio.

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March 11, 2021 - PCR and antigen tests at Esplanade are now a reality for guests of the famous Zagreb hotel!

HRTurizam reports that from now on, the Zagreb Esplanade hotel offers a unique service: conducting COVID-19 testing at the hotel at an agreed time, with the special benefit of free medical staff and a free English translation.

The procedure is effortless. Before arriving at the hotel or during the stay, the guest can contact the Booking Department or the reception, at least 24 hours in advance, to arrange a test date. Testing is conducted Monday through Friday from 8 am to 7 pm, and Saturday from 8 am to noon. Other dates are available on request.

Today, most countries in the world ask travelers and their own citizens to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test when entering the country, said Ivica Max Krizmanić, General Manager of the Esplanade Hotel, adding that it can be complicated and often it is not just one test but several during the trip.

"Also, time is wasted exploring the locations that offer this service, and the waiting can be prolonged, which leads to additional nervousness. Guests of the Esplanade Hotel are accustomed to the highest standard of service. We are known for being able to provide them with what is not in the regular offer, so there is a need to offer what they need most on the trip, and that is the possibility of testing in the comfort of the hotel - fast, easy and personalized, at the highest level and a fair price. We considered the options and decided to carry out this service in cooperation with the LabPlus polyclinic, whose staff is extremely professional. The testing is carried out following strict epidemiological measures, discreetly and accurately at the agreed time. We’ve been testing the service for a while now, and it has proven to be a complete hit. Also, we offer our guests another great advantage: free arrival of the medical staff at the location, as well as a free test translation into English," said Max Krizmanić.

The professional medical staff of LabPlus arrives at the hotel at the agreed time and conducts testing following strict epidemiological measures. The results are delivered to the desired e-mail address, in Croatian or English, within 3 hours for the antigen and antibody test. The PCR test is ready within 24 hours after the sample arrives at the laboratory. The service is paid according to a clear price list of HRK 250 for the antigen test (nose sample), HRK 300 for the antibody test (blood sample), and HRK 750 for the PCR test (nose sample).

"We are aware that every moment of the trip is precious, so we will try to meet all guests who need the test as much as possible. I think that this service will greatly facilitate the arrival in Zagreb, reduce stress and enable our guests to enjoy their stay without worries," concluded Max Krizmanić.

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ZAGREB, 10 March, 2021 - In the last seven days, new coronavirus infections in Croatia rose by 25% compared to the week before that, and the existing anti-epidemic measures will be extended even after 15 March, the country's COVID-19 crisis management team said at a news conference in Zagreb on Wednesday.

The team's chairman, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, said that he hoped that the restrictions would not have to be ramped up.

The numbers are growing, however, there are not any particular hotspots, he added.

Croatia's coronavirus update: 962 new cases, 4 deaths, 334 recoveries

In the past 24 hours there were 7,499 coronavirus tests conducted, and 12.8% of them, that is 962, have returned positive. The death toll linked to COVID-19 has increased by four more fatalities to 5,625.

Currently, there are 3,981 active cases, including 807 hospitalised patients 82 of whom are placed on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the coronavirus infection in the country on 25 February 2020, more than 1.4 million tests have been conducted, and 248,061 of them have turned out positive. To date, 238,455 people have recovered from this infectious disease.

Weekly rise of 25% ascribed to private gatherings

The head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), Krunoslav Capak, said that a weekly rise of 25% was mainly due to family and private gatherings.

He added that 429 samples of 1,200 sent from Croatia to the European Centre for Disease Control had to date been sequenced, showing that 123 samples contained the British variant of the novel virus and 115 with the Czech variant. More results are expected next week.

50% of Croatian population may be immune to virus by this summer

A serological research carried out by the HZJZ covering 436 samples of people who caught coronavirus in the second wave of the pandemic has shown that 25% of them, that is one on four, have antibodies, Capak said.

The continuation of inoculation at the predicted rate could enable Croatia to have at least half of its population immune to coronavirus by this summer, according to his estimates.

Health Minister Vili Beroš announced a shipment of another 743,376 doses of COVID vaccines by the end of this month.

He expects the immunisation of one-fifth of the population with the first shot of the two-dose vaccine during this month.

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

March 10, 2021 – The results of the Croatian National Tourist Board's Brand Tracking survey for 2020 represent key obstacles related to foreign travel, showing tourists more afraid of border regimes than coronavirus infections.

As Jutarnji list reports, Croatia may have strengthened its national tourism brand in the last five years. However, the Brand Tracking survey of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) for 2020 suggests that children's diseases still plague us and that we should seriously consider a campaign to promote Croatia on world markets.

Namely, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the research showed that the key obstacle related to foreign travel is "fear of various formal protection measures that could be established before or during the trip." In contrast, passengers' fear of infection at the holiday destination comes only later.

'Safe stay in Croatia' not enough?

This is a bit in contrast to the main messages coming from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Croatian National Tourist Board, which continuously point out that the most important message for tourists this year is the message of safety, to which Croatia's primary campaign in the preseason is adjusted.

This refers to, of course, the project "Safe stay in Croatia," which should give certificates suggesting to tourists that the facility in which they stay is hygienic and safe. Regarding that, unofficial messages have been coming from the tourism sector for some time, noting that this will not be enough to organize a successful season. As the research now shows, it is necessary to work more actively on removing barriers to travel.

The CNTB explains that the fear of infection has less impact on travel intention because tourists generally believe that their behavior can prevent or reduce the possibility of infection. At the same time, nobody can influence the various epidemiological measures that counties introduce.

"Even though the fear of infection does not affect tourists' intentions as much as possible travel restrictions, some potential tourists, especially the elderly, have expressed this fear. We believe that it is crucial to promote Croatia as a safe environment where it is possible to spend a quality holiday," said the CNTB director Kristjan Staničić.

Competing destinations Italy and Spain perceived more accessible than Croatia

The research also confirmed that Croatia had not moved away from the perception of a "sun and sea destination." However, it has been noted that Croatia has made progress in city break vacations, as well as nature-related vacations.

Nevertheless, tourists from geographically closer and more easily accessible markets (accessible by car) still gravitate to Croatia the most. In areas other than our traditional destinations, "there is room for progress in recognizing and promoting key distinctive values," despite the generous strategic marketing plan we funded through the 2014-2020 period.

Besides, it turned out that Croatia still needs to do a lot to understand better the advantages of the Croatian tourist offer concerning the competition and that it is still insufficiently perceived as a destination for quality accommodation. It is also interesting how Spain and Italy, as Croatia's competing destinations, are perceived as more easily accessible compared to Croatia.

On the other hand, it was noticed that Croatia's image, concerning the competition, is based on "value for money." Over the years, Croatia has managed to position itself as a destination for young people, a segment where only Spain is better perceived than us.

"Young people traveling through Croatia combine different experiences and motives – city tourism, entertainment, festivals, gastronomy, sun, sea, visits to natural attractions. Some young tourists are attracted to party and festival destinations such as Novalja, Hvar, or Split, with a desirable offer," Staničić points out.

The CNTB's official page still has old figures on the infection rate

Asked by Jutarnji list journalists to explain why Croatia still has a problem of moving away from the perception of "sun and sea "destination, Staničić answered that it is dominant Croatia's tourist product and that its role will continue to be extremely important.

"The sun and the sea ensure our recognition with potential tourists. However, intensive work will continue on the establishment of other tourist products," explains Staničić.

Although the "Safe stay in Croatia "website should provide tourists with the latest information on the epidemiological situation, on Tuesday, it had the old report on the 14-day case rate, which was last updated on March 1.

As Jutarnji list unofficially finds out, the Croatian Institute for Public Health caused the lack of new data because they did not submit the table with the numbers on time.

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ZAGREB, 10 March, 2021 - In the last 24 hours Croatia has conducted 7,499 coronavirus tests, and of them 12.8%, that is 962, have returned positive, the national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Wednesday.

The death toll linked to COVID-19 has risen by four more fatalities to 5,625.

Currently, there are 3,981 active cases, including 807 hospitalised patients of whom 82 are placed on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the coronavirus infection in the country on 25 February 2020, more than 1.4 million tests have been conducted, and of them, 248,061 have turned out to be positive.

To date, 238,455 people have recovered from this infectious disease.

There are now 14,537 people self-isolating.

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

March the 10th, 2021 - A certain group of Croatian retirees are set to get a one off coronavirus payment which will be added on to whatever the amount of their individual monthly pension payout is. The move has been made by other European countries as a means of compensation and will now come to fruition here too.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian retirees with a low monthly income should receive almost one full supplementary pension payment in the form of a coronavirus payment. It seems that about 800,000 Croatian retirees are set to receive the this so-called covid/coronavirus supplement.

¨There is no dispute, the main things have all been agreed on,¨ they state from the Croatian Pensioners' Union.

"This is certainly going to be the case for those Croatian retieers who are neglected, socially excluded and have a low income, and that refers to at least 800 thousand pensioners across Croatia. They should receive the payment and that payment will definitely come,¨ said Jasna A. Petrovic, the president of the Croatian Pensioners' Union, in conversation with RTL Danas.

When asked if she can give any promises on this matter at this point in time, she said that she does have some "firm promises", but also that it has been agreed that the amounts will not be made public for the time being, but that it will also be a good addition to the pensions of those who fall into the low-income bracket.

The coronavirus supplement for Croatian retirees, at least as things stand now, would not be given to all retirees, but only to those drawing smaller monthly pensions. Those with the least income per month would get the most. The details are still being discussed with the competent state institutions.

"After April the 10th, 2021, calculations and payments of the coronavirus allowance will get underway," assured Petrovic.

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ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Croatia is ready to take in about ten COVID patents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia each, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković tweeted on Tuesday after his telephone conversation with his counterparts Andrej Babiš of Czechia and Igor Matovič of Slovakia.

"I have conveyed Croatia's readiness to hospitalise about ten COVID-19 patients each from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, if necessary, taking into consideration the fact that their respective health systems are under strain," Plenković wrote on his Twitter account.

Croatia is showing its solidarity with EU member-states in the struggle against COVID-19, he underscored.

The Czech Republic, which has been one of the hardest hit countries in the world by the COVID epidemic recently, has asked Germany, Switzerland and Poland to take in dozens of COVID-19 patients as the situation in its own hospitals has reached a critical point.

Slovakia has already transferred some of its patients abroad this week.

Poland and Germany each have said that they can hospitalise ten patients from that country. 

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Labour Minister Josip Aladrović said on Tuesday that negotiations were underway with pensioner unions and associations about COVID supplements for retirees.

"We've had a few operational meetings and that issue is something that cannot be resolved in such a short time however, I am certain that we are on the right track for an agreement regarding a COVID supplement," said Aladrović, when asked by the press whether the talks reached a standstill.

He announced that talks on that issue would continue at the end of this week and in the coming period.

"I am certain that Croatia can become one of the countries that introduces a COVID supplement but we have to be aware on the other hand of the fiscal limits in our budget," he added.

Aladrović added that he would leave all options open,however, he is certain that good will for an agreement exists and that it is possible.

Asked whether the decision was waiting for the local election, Aladrović said that this is a supplement that is unknown in other European countries and that it cannot be brought into the context of current political circumstances and situations.

Last month during a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, pensioner associations raised the issue of a COVID supplement and asked for just over 800,000 pensioners with a pension allowance of up to HRK 2,710 to be paid a COVID supplement of €150 (HRK 1,125).

They also proposed that about 244,000 pensioners with pension allowances between HRK 2,710 and HRK 5,000 be given a supplement of €100 (HRK 750) and for 7,200 single pensioners who receive a pension allowance of more than HRK 5,000 to be given a supplement of €50 (HRK 375).

The supplement would, according to their calculations, come to HRK1.93 billion.

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