Prominent Croatian scientist Igor Rudan writes exclusively for Vecernji list on the 18th of March, 2020 about coronavirus, and in his latest article, he discusses how the Chinese are managing the coronavirus epidemic so well.

We are transmitting Igor Rudan's latest article in full:

''In my article on the spread of COVID-19 written for Vecernji list three days ago, I tried to explain the danger we're facing.

I've clarified the two main ways that the virus can put us at a greater risk - its rapid spread in the community and hospital outbreaks. I also explained behaviours that should help in both cases. I concluded that Croatia had well prepared defense lines, which in the first weeks, had yielded measurable results in relation to the environment. However, I also emphasised in this text that "... with epidemics, things can quickly turn against us just because of a little carelessness or the irresponsibility of individuals, and in just 48 hours, from a successful country, because of just a few incidents, things can change.'' and then every country quickly starts being followed case by case.

Unfortunately, three days later [after that article] we're witnessing just how important this warning was. Doctors at several leading Zagreb hospitals are now infected with coronavirus. More than a hundred health professionals and their contacts, are therefore isolated. Several Croatian broadcasters have mentioned individual negligence as a possible cause, although all epidemiologists have been calling for caution for at least a month, and all of our doctors are well aware of the risks of viral outbreaks. Thus, despite several weeks of professional efforts, the start of the fight against coronavirus in Croatia could be marked by hospital outbreaks. Obviously, the words of the 19th-century Prussian military strategist Helmuth von Moltke, who taught us that "no war plan will survive its first contact with an adversary,'' are still true to this day.

It's less evil at least that such a failure occurred at such an early stage. Now, clinicians in hospitals will also raise the level of severity to that shown by public health professionals for weeks. In addition, hospitals are still not significantly burdened with infected patients. Furthermore, sending more than a hundred health professionals into self-isolation will allow them to rest well, so we'll also get a backup squad. This may be absolutely necessary in just two weeks, provided that the number of cases of new patients continues to increase significantly in Croatia and that the frontline doctors themselves become infected.

At present, however, the issue of how many patients in hospitals may have been infected is of the greatest concern. We'll know this within a few days, when their incubation period is over and some may develop COVID-19 symptoms. Infected Zagreb hospital patients could become the first Croatian cases to create a more severe clinical picture, but still a curable one. Hopefully, there will be as few of them as possible, and that everyone will learn valuable lessons from this early incident.

By now, coronavirus has spread to so many countries that some entry and defense models are beginning to crystallise - such as the Chinese, South Korean, Singaporean, Iranian, Italian, German, French, Spanish and American ones. In the past few days, I've often wondered which of these models will most closely resemble the situation in Croatia, in order to contact my global health colleagues there and seek their advice, since they are all ahead of Croatia in terms of the epidemic.

We can see now that the onset in Croatia could be marked by the initial spread of contagion in major hospitals in the capital. This situation is most similar to what was happening in Wuhan, where the pandemic started. So I called a few colleagues from China, leading global health experts there, to ask them to recall all the contingencies and "bottlenecks" they had to deal with while fighting the Wuhan epidemic. I told them that the Croatian, ie the Dubrovnik invention from the end of the fourteenth century - quarantine - saved Wuhan and China from COVID-19 in the 21st century, and that it would be nice if their experiences would help us here in Croatia now. So, I'll relay their story of Wuhan, which may also carry some useful advice for us.

In November or December 2019, somewhere around Wuhan, a new coronavirus managed to transfer over from a small mammal, a bird or a bat, to a human, and then spread for some time to the local population. After several hundred infected people, severe cases of pneumonia occurred, predominantly among older men. They ended up being treated at the hospitals of Wuhan, with eleven million residents.

Nobody even noticed those isolated first cases as something special. It was only between December the 26th and the 28th that the first group of patients with this unusual pneumonia appeared in the same hospital. It was the "Hubei Hospital for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine" (HICWM). All of the patients had stories that were in some way related to the Huanan Fish Market. It was then that the doctors at that hospital first suspected that it could be a new pathogen. But the doctors were already infected by then.

Moreover, they infected many of their colleagues at a rapid speed, and they in turn infected their patients. Many patients were already seriously ill, those who were old and those with compromised immune systems. Everyone was aware that a new contagion was spreading, but its symptoms were generally mild in doctors and younger patients, but more severe in the elderly. Lung inflammation would occur relatively infrequently, and no one knew what was causing it, but it was extremely dangerous for the elderly and the sick. On the last day of 2019, the Chinese authorities informed the World Health Organisation in Geneva of the situation and closed the fish market on the first day of 2020.

However, it took time to isolate the virus from the blood of those infected. The virus was discovered on January the 7th, 2020 and was immediately recognised as a new, seventh human coronavirus, somewhat similar to SARS. It was shared on the 12th of January, 2020, with the whole world. On this basis, diagnostic tests were available as early as the next day, and we were finally recognising who was infected. The problem with the new coronavirus was that it spread rapidly and successfully among people in the phase until the infected showed symptoms, so it was clear that an explosive epidemic across Wuhan was inevitable.

During that time, between December the 26th, 2019, and January the 12th, 2020, the coronavirus epidemic spread rapidly across Wuhan, and a large number of doctors in hospitals became infected with the virus. Although their clinical picture was neither problematic nor personally threatening, they wanted to continue helping their patients, but they shouldn't have done so. Specifically, they were able to transmit the infection to people in much worse shape than them. Entire medical teams had to go home to get over COVID-19 or quarantine their colleagues' contacts. In those days, when there weren't enough doctors in Wuhan's hospitals and the epidemic spread among severe hospital patients, most people died in Wuhan. The death rate among the already old and severely ill patients was, of course, much higher than it would be among the healthy population outside the hospital.

Around January the 15th, the number of newly infected people in Wuhan was already close to 500, and on January the 19th, it was close to 1000, reaching 2200 on January the 22nd. But the problem with the outbreaks is that these patients went to hospitals and were tested there days later. Thus, epidemiologists were only able to notice this "jump" from 100 to 200 newly infected people in hospitals on January the 22nd.

This was a sure sign that the epidemic was already spreading rapidly among the population. This is important to remember, because it means that when around 200 infected people are tested today Europe, it means that the actual number of newly infected individuals among the population on that day is probably already ten times higher. With all these adversities, for travel related to the Chinese New Year celebration, travellers from Wuhan transmitted this new coronavirus to just about every Chinese province where the first cases were recorded.

The very next day, on January the 23rd, all of Wuhan was urgently put into quarantine. A day later, fifteen more surrounding cities were shut down. The effects of quarantine measures on reducing the number of positive test results were only noticed two weeks later, but thereafter - it declined steadily. In the Hubei province, therefore, the new coronavirus also first entered the major hospitals of the capital, Wuhan, and put enormous pressure on them. It was at a time when many infected doctors were in isolation.

My Chinese colleagues recalled a series of decisions that then had to be made, procedures and bottlenecks that they simply couldn't have foreseen. First, their situation in Wuhan and Hubei province on January the 23rd was a "perfect storm." A large number of infected doctors were in isolation when the main wave of severe Wuhan patients were rushed into the hospitals. This is where China was fortunate to be such a populous country. All other provinces of China then sent, by emergency flights, a large number of doctors and nurses to each of the sixteen quarantined cities, with hundreds of artificial respirators shipped to them by the military.

So, they managed to bridge the shortage of health care staff and equipment until the infected doctors from the Hubei province recovered and were able to return to work. The first task for teams coming to Wuhan was to physically separate infected patients from uninfected patients in hospitals. Now they already had tests, so they could test all patients daily and know who was infected and who wasn't. One option was to move all patients uninfected with the virus somewhere else, and leave all those who were infected in the hospitals. But, uninfected patients also needed sophisticated hospital equipment. They couldn't transport them all to other provinces because for many it would be too risky. Alternatively, some Wuhan hospitals could be declared infected and others uninfected. But with these relocations around the city, the fear was that there would be chaos and eventually this virus would be introduced into all the hospitals.

Owing to that, a pragmatic decision was made clear to the rest of the world: in just a few days, two brand new hospitals would be built, and they were for the infected only. They'd be supplied with hundreds of respirators and intensive care units. This radical decision was one of the best, as it suppressed the further spread of the pathogen among hospital patients, which contributed very significantly to the total number of deaths.

Another "bottleneck" has become contagion suits for the doctors and nurses. They thought they had enough, but when Wuhan's doctors returned to work and the imported medical teams were still there, it was evident that there were simply never enough protective suits. Some factories were then ordered to mass produce protective clothing. In addition, it's important not only to have suits, but also to carry out sufficiently high-quality training among doctors and nurses on how to use them properly.

Having learned from the experience of the infection of entire medical teams at first, the directors of the large hospitals in Wuhan divided their staff into teams large enough to cope with entire wards. Such teams were no longer allowed to be in the hospital at the same time, nor were they permitted to socialise or to get in touch privately. Thus, it was ensured that if some of the medical staff were already ill, not everyone became ill.

Another practical problem was that doctors weren't allowed to take off those suits all day, so they couldn't deal with the emergencies. A large amount of adult diapers had to be purchased, which health professionals had to carry all day in their shifts. Another unforeseen problem is that the doctors in those suits couldn't breathe. After a few days, they would start developing very unsightly and painful rashes. It was necessary to mobilise entire teams of dermatologists to treat these rashes for their colleagues at the end of their shifts so that they could work again the next day.

In addition, Wuhan's hospitals were already so overcrowded with patients and doctors that it was necessary to double or triple the production and supply of food and drink for all of these people. Furthermore, the doctors had to watch over patients all day and night. Because of this, practical questions began to arise - does it make sense that they return to their homes at all during the epidemic? Most of them chose to stay and sleep in the hospital to protect their families from infection.

Others rented temporary apartments near the hospital so that they could sleep properly and not endanger their families. The third sent their families to relatives. I believe that my colleagues in Croatia, many of them my former students, are thinking about these issues now, so I'd like to offer them some ideas from Wuhan.

Finally, after suppressing coronavirus hospital outbreaks in this way, the out-of-hospital epidemic among the population in Wuhan needed to be suppressed. This could only be done by the mass testing of all suspected infected people. It was the flu and cold season of January and February, so many people were coughing anyway. It was necessary to see who was coughing because of the flu or a cold and who was coughing because of COVID-19. The Chinese then organised thousands of small epidemiology teams to report and go around the apartments, measure temperatures and test people.

Just as they had to move all infected patients from existing hospitals to two newly built hospitals, in the same way, all infected people with a milder form of the virus had to be put into isolation. They used stadiums and empty schools for this. A large number of infected people were thus moved into isolation and monitored until they were better and no longer showed any trace of the virus. So, between January the 23rd and March the 7th, Wuhan was able to completely suppress the massive coronavirus epidemic, which peaked at about 3750 confirmed infections in a single day, in just six weeks. An analogy of this for Croatia would be 1364 newly confirmed cases per day for comparison. And they were able to quarantine it within six weeks.

Lastly, I asked them how they managed to keep eleven million people in their homes so successfully. My colleagues told me that when they closed down Wuhan, the government brought together leading Chinese judicial experts.

As early as February the 6th, two weeks after the Wuhan shutdown, they enacted a "Criminal Justice Punishment Act aimed at preventing the spread of a new coronavirus that causes pneumonia." Any person who had been quarantined and intentionally violated that would be punished with "between 10 years' imprisonment and the death penalty," depending on the consequences, according to Articles 114 and 115 of the Chinese Penal Code.

If they breached the quarantine provision by accident, he would be imprisoned for a month to three years. And anyone who by any means, negligently and contrary to the instructions of the coronavirus prevention staff, contributed to the spread of the virus, would be punished with 3 to 7 years in prison. Obviously, these are penalties that were compelling enough to allow eleven million people to be kept in strict quarantine. Only one household member, every three days, was allowed to go out to get groceries for the others. Before going out, he had to call one of those small epidemiology teams to get his temperature measured.

The Wuhan/Hubei quarantine were the first mega-quarantine experiments in human history, locking 56 million people inside their households. This has shown us that the COVID-19 epidemic can be effectively suppressed. All over China, with its one billion and four hundred million inhabitants, only about twenty new cases a day have been being recorded. Most of these new cases are now coming from overseas, and the total number of deaths in China shouldn't exceed 5,000.

If the epidemic returns again with a smaller focal point, there's no doubt that China will be able to extinguish such a focal point, after such an experience. Two very difficult questions for all Western leaders today are: can they achieve the same result, and do they want to achieve it? Because months of quarantine of a lesser severity than China's will severely hurt their economies. It will leave countless people jobless.

In addition, flu caused by the influenza virus can take up to 650,000 lives worldwide annually, although vaccines are available for it. But there is almost no public awareness or fear about the threat of the flu. Perhaps a better example is pneumonia in poor children across the world, mainly caused by pneumococcus, type B hemophilus, respiratory syncytial virus and the influenza virus.

They continue to take one million children's lives per year. This is 2,739 deaths of the world's poor children every day, completely invisible and unknown to the public, due to the same medical cause that COVID-19 is now threatening us with. The West is now deciding whether to suppress COVID-19 with discipline and strict quarantine, like the Chinese, or turn it into a "creeping epidemic", so that they live in milder quarantines for months until people just get used to COVID-19 and stop it having so much of an effect.''

This text was written by Igor Rudan and translated by Lauren Simmonds

For rolling information and updates in English on coronavirus in Croatia, as well as other lengthy articles written by Croatian epidemiologist Igor Rudan, follow our dedicated section.

For the latest March 21 update click here.

March 19, 2020 - There are 110 confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Croatia and 29 new cases as of yesterday morning. One patient has died. Five patients have recovered. There are currently 104 active cases in Croatia.

Measures for Entry into the Republic of Croatia: UPDATED March 19, 2020

As of midnight, crossing the border of the Republic of Croatia is temporarily restricted. Croatian citizens and residents will be allowed to return to Croatia, which means that they may go to the country where they work and reside and must follow the instructions and measures of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) upon their return.

These measures went into effect at 00:01 on March 19, 2020 and are valid for 30 days.

Return to countries of origin will be granted to nationals of the EU Member States (Member States of the Schengen Area and Schengen countries and their families), and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under EU directives, national law or are holding national long-stay visas. Until the end of 2020, UK citizens will be treated the same way as EU citizens.

The instructions and measures of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) are compulsory for these returnees.

EXCEPTIONS to this Decision are:

• Health professionals, health researchers and associate professionals in the care of the elderly and persons requiring urgent medical treatment
• Cross-border workers
• Freight carriers and other transport personnel to the extent necessary
• Diplomats, police officers in the performance of their duties, civil protection services and teams, personnel of international organizations and international military personnel in the performance of their functions
• Passengers in transit

The above exceptions are subject to the instructions and measures adopted by the Croatian Institute of Public Health. See those here.

Minister Davor Bozinovic said at a press conference today that a meeting of police administrations of Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro will be held to determine the routes along which trucks may move.

As of today, it is mandatory to strictly adhere to anti-epidemic measures and strict social distance measures. A strict measure of social distance requires avoiding close personal contact at a distance of at least:

• Two (2) meters indoors
• One (1) meter outdoors

The anti-epidemic measures required according this decision include: a ban on holding all public events, the gathering of more than 5 people in one place and the suspension of all retail and trade activities EXCEPT:

• Food and hygiene items
• Markets and fish markets
• Specialized stores selling and dispensing (pharmacies)
• Specialized stores selling and dispensing veterinary medicinal products
• Agricultural pharmacies
• Gas stations
• Kiosks
• Bakeries
• Chemical laundry (dry cleaners)
• Specialized stores selling orthopaedic products and other aids
• Specialized baby equipment stores
• Specialized animal feed stores
• Dispensing of building materials on the basis of retail orders
• Logistic and distribution centers for food, beverages and hygiene products
• Wholesale drugstores

Suspension of the Following Activities and Services:

• Work of all cultural activities (museums, theaters, cinemas, libraries, reading rooms) and the suspension of exhibitions, shows and fairs
• Operation of catering establishments of all categories, with the exception of food preparation and delivery services, accommodation services and work of public and student kitchens
• Operation of service activities in which close contact with customers (eg hairdressers, beauticians, barbers, pedicures, massage parlors, saunas, swimming pools)
• All sports competitions and organized trainings and shutdowns of gyms, sports centers, fitness and recreation centers
• Holding children's and other workshops and organized dance schools
• Work of driving schools and foreign language schools
• Religious gatherings

110 Coronavirus Cases in Croatia

As of March 19, 2020; 110 coronavirus (COVID-19) patients have been reported in Croatia: 49 in Zagreb, 13 in Rijeka, 16 in Pula, 7 in Osijek, 6 in Varaždin, 3 in Sisak, 4 in Krapina-Zagorje (County), 4 in Karlovac, 2 in Split, 2 in Šibenik, 2 in Zadar, 1 in Dubrovnik, and 1 in Slavonski Brod (map to be updated).

More than 9,991 people are dead from the virus, which originated in Wuhan City, China; and over 242,017 cases have been confirmed globally. There are 161,089 cases outside of mainland China and 41,035 in Italy. 

UPDATED: March 19, 2020 22:00 CET (Central European Time)

National Civil Protection Headquarters Evening Press Conference: 16:00 CET

"Today is the 24th day after the first patient. In those 24 days we have 105 positive patients. In the same period in Italy, the number of patients from days 1 to 24 was 27,747," Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros said.

National Civil Protection Headquarters Morning Press Conference: 9:00 CET

• 1264 test samples completed in Croatia.
• There are currently 12,519 people in self-isolation in Croatia and 769 contacts who are under close supervision. There are 79 people quarantined and 18 of those are truck drivers, according to Alemka Markotic, Head of the Dr. Fran Mihaljevic Clinic for Infectious Diseases.
• Most have mild symptoms, two have moderate symptoms, Markotic added.
• Istrian deceased patient had coronavirus: cause of death still unknown.

Line for pharmacy in Zagreb | Index

Croatia and Regional Daily Updates

(Updates provided by Index)

20:39 - In coordination with the Institute of Public Health of the County of Istria, and following the measures and instructions of the Civil Protection Headquarters, workers of the municipal utility Pula Herculane will disinfect public areas by special chemical agents from Thursday evening, the City of Pula informed the public.

According to the plan, public areas will be chemically disinfected from the city center to the periphery, and the City of Pula is urging citizens to avoid being outdoors in the areas covered by the measure.

"Cleansing removes impurities by physical or physico-chemical means, and in addition to visible contamination, cleansing also removes a significant portion of microorganisms and creates conditions for effective disinfection. Disinfection is a process that destroys microorganisms to a level that is not harmful to health," The city of Pula also added that 80% of harmful substances and pathogenic microorganisms are removed by quality surface cleaning."

20:25 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic addressed the public with a special response to the coronavirus crisis at 20:00 CET this evening.

He said this was the biggest crisis since the Homeland War, and that the days, weeks and months ahead would be difficult and that we need to prepare.

"We are managing the crisis, it is not not managing us. But we need everyone's participation. The coronavirus will have significant consequences on our economy. The economic situation is better than a few years ago, we are more prepared for shocks. But extraordinary measures are needed, which is why the government has enacted them. We will pay a net minimum wage for each worker. We go out to companies to meet payroll delays."

Don't shake hands, listen to the doctors, added Plenkovic. It calls on all citizens in self-isolation to adhere strictly to the rules.

19:39 - A fourth patient from Karlovac hospital isolation, who has been confirmed with the coronavirus, is a Karlovac doctor who has had no contact with patients for the last two weeks, the Civil Protection County Headquarters announced.

He is a hospital doctor who has not worked for the past two weeks because he was on vacation, Hospitals spokeswoman Ivana Rumenovic Novinic told Hina.

"Immediately after learning that another person from Karlovac had been confirmed with the coronavirus, the prescribed anti-epidemic measures were started to prevent the further spread of the disease. The processes of establishing their contacts are underway and all contacts will receive self-isolation measures," Rumenovic said. Novinić.

In addition to the hospital doctor, there are three other patients - a married couple from Karlovac and a man from Ogulin, all of whom are stable.

19:19 - Another five cases of infection have been reported in Istria, all linked to a couple who were at a funeral.

John Kernjus, son of the late Istrian Anton Kernjus, told Index that his mother and brother were positive for the coronavirus.

18:35 - Index learned today that as many as 23 Klaiceva employees traveled outside Croatia for two weeks, and we learned from one doctor that he had been skiing in Austria when a KBC Rebro doctor was infected. However, he was not in self-isolation, he was working, without a mask.

18:30 - Today a telephone session was held at which the Decision on Appropriation of the Budgetary Stock of the State Budget of Croatia for 2020 was approved for the purchase of protective masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

17:45 - The MUP issued a warning for coronavirus email fraud. They explained that they were phishing campaigns trying to exploit the coronavirus pandemic by sending e-mails to convince users to run a malicious code on their computer.

16:43 - There will be 270 beds in front of KB Dubrava in tents being assembled today.

16:41 - In Zagorje, five people were infected, the headquarters provided an update on the situation there.

16:30 - "Today is the 24th day after we reported the first patient. In those 24 days we have 105 positive patients. In the same period in Italy, the increase in the number of patients from days 1 to 24 was 27,747," Beros pointed out at the afternoon press conference.

16:15 - The Dean of the School of Medicine defends infected doctors, saying that they followed instructions.

15:40 - Important announcement regarding the Health Center of the County of Primorje-Gorski kotar.

"Regarding efforts for prevention of the spread of COVID-19, from Saturday March 21, 2020, the Health Center of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is moving the locations of the following dispensaries:

The pediatric emergency office and the blood sampling room for children are being relocated to the new location at 7 Cambierieva Street (former pediatric ophthalmology area). The new location is only 50 meters from the current location, and the work schedule remains unchanged: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8:00 to 20:00. The office numbers are 051 641-045 and 051 336-046.

The dental office on duty is also moving from its current location (Cambierieva 7) to Studentska 1 in Rijeka and will also work according to current working hours: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8:00 to 20:00. The office number is 051 494 896.

The Family Medicine Duty Office remains in the existing premises (Cambierieva 7) and operates according to the current schedule: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8:00to 20:00. The office number is 051 335 588.

Also, in view of the new situation, all psychiatrists and psychologists at the PGZ Health Center in their regular working hours are available to provide telephone psychological assistance to all citizens of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. Psychiatrists and psychologists' contacts and more information on news regarding precautions and treatment instructions can be found on the website of the PGZ Health Center."

14:30 - A Bjelovar ambulance team is in isolation after intervening Thursday with a child whose parents are in isolation, but did not say when they called an ambulance, and the county appealed for responsible behavior and adherence to coronavirus prevention guidelines.

14:10 - Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is in self-isolation, Dnevnik Nova TV reports. According to sources, former President of the Republic Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic will be in self-isolation for two weeks.

14:09 - Concerning the current epidemiological situation caused by the coronavirus, experts of the Mental Health and Addiction Prevention Service of the Public Health Institute Andrija Štampar opened eight hotlines for psychological assistance to persons in self-isolation or quarantine.

Interviews with professionals are possible daily from 8:00 to 20:00 on the following telephone numbers:

01 2991 356
01 4696 276
01 4696 107
01 4696 297
01 6468 334
01 6468 335
01 6468 337
01 6468 338

The telephone numbers are intended for all persons who feel the need for psychological assistance regarding the coronavirus crisis. Expert advice on how to deal with this situation and how to reduce anxiety will be provided daily by psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists of the Public Health Institute “Dr. Andrija Štampar ".

Recommendations for People in Isolation:

• Stay connected and maintain your social networks, you can stay connected via email, social media, video conferencing and telephone. Try to keep as much of your personal daily routine as possible including regular exercise, cleaning, daily chores, singing, reading ...
• Do activities you enjoy and help you relax. Exercise regularly, maintain a regular sleep routine, and eat healthy foods.
• Follow up-to-date information and practical guidance at specific times during the day, once or twice, by official institutions, avoid listening to or monitoring rumors which have a negative impact on mood.

13:59 - Banks Explain: Here's what you need to know about postponing loan repayments.

• In order to preserve the financial stability and liquidity of economic factors in the Republic of Croatia, credit institutions shall adopt in their internal acts a decision not to take enforcement measures (foreclosure, activation of collateral) to collect debt from their debtors (natural and legal persons) for three consecutive months starting in April 2020, it will not settle its three installments/annuities on its credit obligations, provided that they are not put at a disadvantage as creditors in relation to other creditors.
• Credit institutions shall conscientiously and promptly consider and approve requests by clients (citizens and entrepreneurs) for a deferral of payment for at least three months, whose creditworthiness is severely impaired in the current circumstances by the loss or reduction of fixed sources of income, and for the benefit of undertakings whose the revenue was substantially reduced compared to the total income in the previous period.
• Credit institutions shall, at the time of the deferral of payment, only charge regularly agreed interest at no additional charge.
• For the success of the measures expected of credit institutions, it will be important to ensure the solidarity of other groups of creditors, in order to provide assistance to citizens and entrepreneurs who are truly economically affected in the current circumstances.

13:49 - As many as 23 employees, including 9 doctors from the Clinic for Pediatric Diseases in Klaićeva, who had been outside Croatia for the past 14 days, are going into self-isolation today.

13:48 - Croatia Airlines has sent an important message to its passengers.

13:46 - Headquarters Warning: "At least twice a day, clean all touch surfaces, smartphones and other phones, POS editing, keyboards, consoles, computers, and other touch surfaces used by several people."

13:35 - In front of KB Dubrava, the army erects tents for future coronavirus patients.

13:27 - All schools, kindergartens and colleges in Croatia will be closed until at least April 19 (one month).

13:27 - A second case of coronavirus infection was confirmed in Zadar County today, a young man who arrived in Austria two days ago by car to work in a hotel complex, which has since been closed down due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. The County Civil Protection Headquarters announced this at a news conference, stating that the young man was suspected of having a coronavirus because of his weakness, and reported to a competent epidemiologist upon his arrival in Zadar. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Croatia now stands at 103.

13:16 - After the sixth coronavirus infection was confirmed on Wednesday, there are no new infections in Varazdin County on Thursday, and more than 500 people are under medical supervision.

13:00 - From Jadrolinija, passengers on ships are asked to stay in their vehicles during the voyage, if less than 60 minutes. In the event that they must get out of their vehicle, the Croatia-based ferry service recommends that passengers use protective masks.

12:40 - "Dubrovnik Airport Ltd. is closed for civil air traffic as of 12:00 today. We will provide you with all further information in a timely manner," read a statement from the Dubrovnik Airport. The airport will be open only for emergencies - medical, military and police flights.

12:01 - Loan repayments delayed for three months due to coronavirus.

The Ministry of Finance is agreeing with the banks a moratorium on repayment of loans to citizens who cannot repay them due to reduced revenues or job losses caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Unofficially, this has been confirmed to Index by the Ministry of Finance. Minister Zdravko Maric has been trying to make it easier for citizens to repay their loans since the start of the pandemic.

11:56 - Zagreb Holding has invited users of the Central Branch Office for Customer Relations and Subsidiaries to continue exclusively using their electronic services, which can be accessed through their website and on the e-gradani system.

11:45 - Miroslav Skoro is seeking a minimum wage for everyone.

11:34 - Update from Slavonia. No new cases. A total of 7 confirmed cases. Osijek Headquarters is demanding limits on purchases.

11:04 - A total of 12 people confirmed with the coronavirus in Istria, one of whom has died and 11 are currently in the hospital. Among the 5 newly ill are 2 people from Umag and one each from Rovinj, Pula and Vodnjan. According to Glas Istre, the famous winemaker Moreno Coronica and his wife were infected in Umag. However, the winemaker’s father died recently and was buried on March 7. There were a lot of people at the funeral, and everyone in attendance should report to 099-8105-672.

10:38 - Press conference from Split. Two elderly, an elderly married couple, have been confirmed to be coronavirus positive. The Hospital for Infectology confirms that 4 people have been hospitalized. Two cases have been confirmed, and they are waiting for the test results for two potential cases.

10:27 - The first case of coronavirus disease was recorded in Dubrovnik today. According to Dubrovacki dnevnik, this is a janitor who works at the airport.

10:18 - Prime Minister Plenkovic said at the beginning of the cabinet session that 102 people had been confirmed infected. Beros confirmed that the figure is now higher than it was at the 9:00 CET press conference.

9:55 - This afternoon it will be announced where the last 10 confirmed cases were infected. So far, one person is known to be from Dubrovnik.

9:30 - "The Civil Protection Headquarters of the National Defense Agency informs the public that one of the samples sent from Dubrovnik General Hospital for analysis to Zagreb is coronavirus positive. This is the first positive finding after 15 samples were sent. This is a middle-aged person who is hospitalized, and the medical condition of the patient is good. This knowledge only confirms the necessity of adhering to the measures prescribed by the National Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia " – a representative from Dubrovacko-neretvanske county reported.

9:20 - The Croatian Bishops' Conference adopted measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus which go into effect on Friday March 20.

8:24 - Employees of Vetropack Straze received a mail stating that one of their employees was infected with the coronavirus, was in the hospital and is in good general condition. Those who had close contact with him (less than 2 meters for more than 15 minutes) have to self-isolate beginning tomorrow according to Zagorje.com.

8:10 - In Split-dalmatinsko County, two people have tested positive for COVID-19. This is an older couple from Split (born 1934 and 1935). They were infected by the daughter of a Zagreb doctor who visited them over the weekend. She learned on Monday that she was infected, and her parents were not feeling well yesterday and were taken to hospital. During the evening, they were confirmed to be coronavirus positive.

8:00 - In Croatia, 99 people are infected with a coronavirus, said Krunoslav Capak, Director of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute, on the Croatian radio program "U mrezi Prvog.”

7:38 - HRT (Croatia Radio Television) has learned that the man who died in Istria was infected with the coronavirus. A formal confirmation is awaiting. However, HRT noted that experts believe that this is not the reason for his death.

7:19 - Croatia has temporarily banned or restricted the crossing of all border crossings. Croatian citizens will be allowed to return to Croatia, which means that they can go to the country where they work and reside. They must follow the instructions and measures of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

7:13 - You can read more about the measures here.

7:00 - Four doctors from KBC Zagreb, who were skiing in Austria at the time of the coronavirus crisis, made a statement to the Ministry of Health, the Civil Protection Headquarters and the KBC director, saying that they had not violated the recommendations of authorities.

Doctors deny accusations of failing to report their trip and point out that of the two positive doctors at the Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases, one was not even on that trip, while the other doctor did not come to the hospital after the trip because she was on vacation.

The other two who were traveling in Austria were negative, so they did not pose a threat to KBC patients and staff. They also point out that in the meantime, all tested staff and patients of the Cardiovascular Disease Clinic were negative for COVID-19.

(Updates provided by Index)

Total Croatia News Coronavirus Coverage

• Robert Zuber, Rab Film Festival Launch R+, New Online Platform with Your Stories - here.
• Coronavirus in Dubrovnik: First Case Recorded, Symptoms Mild - here.
• First Coronavirus Death in Croatia, Restaurant Owner in Brtonigla, Istria - here.
• Lockdown in Croatia: Which Types of Store Will Remain Open? - here.
• Croatian Interior Minister Announces Limitation of Movement for Older Persons - here.
• Without Tourists, What Use is Croatian Sojourn Tax Payment Delay? - here.
• Free Croatian Crisis Communication Guide Available from Skolska Knjiga - here.
• Croatian Scientist Igor Rudan Talks Chinese Anti-Coronavirus Measures - here.
• COVID-19: City of Split Announces Measures to Mitigate Negative Effect on Economy - here.
• Minister Darko Horvat Presents First 10 Measures to Help Croatian Economy - here.
• Split Fish Market Continues to Operate Under Slightly Different Rules - here.
• HNS Confirms: Croatian Football League Must be Completed by June 28 - here.

Total Slovenia News & Total Montenegro News Updates

• Coronavirus & Slovenia, Mid-Day 19 March, Shops, Italy, Army - here.
• Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 19 March 2020 - here.
• Coronavirus in Montenegro: 6 More COVID-19 Infections - 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 World 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 Croatian Health Organization Coronavirus Updates

• Live updates from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (daily updates at 15:00 CET in Croatian) here.
• Live updates from Croatian Government at their dedicated website koronavirus.hr here.

UPDATED: March 19, 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.

March 19, 2020 - A look at the first ten measures proposed to help the Croatian economy during the corona crisis. 

Following the decision to prevent the rise in prices of critical products for supplying the Croatian market and exporting those products for which a shortage in Croatia could appear, Minister Darko Horvat presented the first ten measures from the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Crafts, which were proposed at a Government session on Tuesday, reports Vecernji List on March 16, 2020. 

These measures will be aimed primarily at entrepreneurs and craftspeople. 

“The meaning of all the measures we plan to take and which we have held very intensive discussions about so far is to preserve jobs and the domestic economy, and to provide the necessary liquidity to our entrepreneurs, through a moratorium or deferrals of loan obligations, the introduction of new credit lines for working capital funds and the like,” explained the minister. Horvat also stressed that changes in certain economic relations are expected in the coming period, both nationally and globally.

“At the moment, we are aware that carriers, traders and exporters suffer the most, but we must take into account all possible scenarios, considering all branches of the Croatian economy, from craftspeople, through micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to large companies,” said Horvat. 

You can find the suggested measures below:

1. Reprogram existing loans (with the introduction of a grace period in repayment of the loan principal) and introduce a moratorium on the credit obligations of HBOR clients and commercial banks on existing placements;

2. Approval of new liquidity loans to economic operators for financing salaries, overheads, and other basic operating expenses, in cooperation with commercial banks;

3. Approval of guarantees (insurance policy) to export commercial banks and HBOR within the framework of the guarantee fund for export insurance;

4. Increase the scope of the guarantee fund for export insurance by including the tourism sector, the indirect exporting entities or the suppliers of direct exporters in the eligible beneficiaries;

5. Provide for the possibility of introducing, through the Amendments to the Investment Promotion Act, the extension of deadlines for the implementation of investment projects and the introduction of an additional grace period of three years to preserve jobs;

6. Intervention in the purchase of surpluses in livestock and crop production, fruit and vegetables, and other products from potentially endangered industrial and agricultural producers;

7. Increasing the rate of the HAMAG-BICRO guarantee from 65% to 80% of the loan principal with a shortened processing procedure and an additional allocation of EUR 15 million for Micro working capital loans (up to EUR 25,000), with a maximum interest rate of 1%;

8. Moratorium on all installments of ESIF Micro and Small Loans by 31/12/2020;

9. Increasing the de minimis grant limit from EUR 200,000 to EUR 500,000;

10.The possibility to mobilize part of the budget as a contribution to sectoral intervention grants to entrepreneurs (national grant).

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

March 19, 2020 - The first case of coronavirus in Dubrovnik has been confirmed, with the symptoms reportedly mild. 

It is 23 days since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Croatia, and now coronavirus in Dubrovnik has been confirmed, with one case reported after analysis of tests sent to Zagreb. 

Of the 15 tests sent for analysis, one has tested positive for the virus. 

There will be more details on the situation with coronavirus in Dubrovnik at a press conference at 11:00

Dalmatia and neighbouring Montenegro were coronavirus-free until 2 days ago. The numbers still remain small in Croatia overall (99 cases, 1 death and 5 recoveries), with one case in Dubrovnik, 2 in Split, 1 in Zadar, and 8 in Montenegro. 

We will have a full update on the situation in our daily updates - follow the latest on our dedicated COVID-19 section. 

The Croatian Government has an official website with the latest information on the crisis (Croatian only).

ZAGREB, March 19, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović addressed the nation on Wednesday, saying that Croatia has taken appropriate action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and calling on the public to follow instructions from the National Civil Protection Authority.

"Today I signed a decision amending the Civil Protection Act giving greater powers to the National Civil Protection Authority. I expect all of us to seriously adhere to the instructions and decisions issued by the Authority because in this crisis that we are faced with, the state is working for our benefit and it is working a lot, and in my opinion it is doing a good job," Milanović said in an address to the nation which was aired by all national television stations.

"However, the personal responsibility of each of us, to adhere to the rules that we have been talking about for days, will make the difference between success and failure, between the length or shortness of this crisis, not necessarily between life and death," he underscored.

Milanović said that the crisis was addressed in a good way from the start. "The crisis, after all, is not so big. It is good that we approached it relatively seriously from the start and not at one moment did we fall victim to low or heavy feelings, much less panic, which is a word I do not wish to use at all," the president said.

Milanović said that Croatia was not at war, but in a crisis, facing a challenge. "We are in a crisis that will pass, I dare say, in a few months. However, its consequences, particularly its economic and social consequences, will remain. The question is when we will be able to fully open our borders and function the way we have virtually until yesterday," Milanović said.

"Like any crisis, this one too will end with a certain amount of damage done, but it will also teach us lessons that we will be able to rely upon when a new crisis comes upon us," he added.

"Economic damage will certainly be considerable, and we need to realise that and accept it. What the government is doing right now are temporary measures which I support. Their budgetary and monetary effects will be clearer to us from day to day, from week to week, and these measures will certainly be changed," the president said.

Milanović said he was encouraged by the fact that Croatia was doing more or less everything that its EU neighbours were doing, "some of which are among the richest and best organised countries in the world, with the best functioning public healthcare systems, yet things that we can call mistakes happen even there. This is a chance for us to show that we are mature people and responsible individuals."

Referring to stories that still not enough tests were being carried out in Croatia, he said that the public healthcare system was showing solid results, praising all healthcare professionals for their efforts.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 19, 2020 - Asylum seekers in Croatia are not infected with the coronavirus, the Croatian Interior Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday evening, adding that all asylum seekers at the reception centres in Zagreb and Kutina were under constant medical observation.

"They did not arrive now at the time of tightened border controls from the high-risk countries. They have been warned about the outbreak of the disease and measures that need to be taken to prevent its further spreading," the ministry said.

Flyers have been displayed in the reception centres containing instructions from the Croatian Public Health Institute about the importance of prevention and self-isolation.

Access to the reception centres has been temporarily restricted for all persons whose presence is not absolutely necessary for the functioning of the facilities, the ministry said.

More news about the migrant crisis can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 19, 2020 - Telecoms in Croatia are registering a rise in traffic this week due to online classes starting, more people working at home, more calls being made, and an increase in using various services and applications, however, network capacities are large enough at the moment to handle increased traffic.

Three biggest telecom companies in Croatia have informed Hina that everything is controllable despite this surge.

The HT telecom emphasises that at this moment the company is focused on making sure that users are connected, pointing out that their communications infrastructure has a remarkable capacity and a high quality, and that it is reliable and stable.

“We have ensured contacts with other telecoms and we are following the ongoing developments in telecommunications operators in other European countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, so that we could recognise the risks on time and take every possible action to remove them. The HT telecom has recently completed the project of upgrading the mobile network, which has increased users’ speed and improved the quality of mobile services,” the HT stated.

However, considering the fact that this is an extraordinary situation in which networks are under extreme strain, they call for the users to use their services responsibly so that the telecommunications system can remain stable and available to all. On that note, they propose using landlines and fixed internet access when possible, so that the mobile network would not be overloaded.

Both the HT and the A1 Hrvatska telecom gave its private and business users a certain quantity of data traffic free of charge. The two telecoms, along with the Tele2 Hrvatska telecom, stated that the high levels of use during the summer have not yet been reached.

The A1 Hrvatska telecom emphasises the extremely high quality of their communications infrastructure which ensures reliability and stability of their networks during the coronavirus crisis.

“During the last few days, we have registered double the voice traffic than usual in particular moments, which is expected, considering the fact that many companies have adapted to the situation and introduced work from home,” the A1 telecom stated, adding that they registered an increase in traffic in multimedia services and streaming platforms as well.

Additionally, they noticed that many users watched the HRT3 and SPTV TV channels, where school classes are being broadcast, both live and on demand, as well as various children’s channels.

The Tele2 Hrvatska telecom stated that telecommunications were one of the key strategic sectors necessary for the society to function, especially in the current emergency. The company says that its networks are currently under considerable strain, but that their capacity is still large enough to meet the existing needs of their users.

“We are entirely focused on enabling our users to communicate, and a part of our employees is always working on maintaining business continuity and service supply, taking into consideration health safety of our employees in the current epidemiological situation in the country,” the Tele2 stated.

They think that the competent state authorities would reach decisions in line with social responsibility, which would keep citizens at home. Consequently, they expect additional increases in network traffic, for which their experts are already preparing, in order to increase capacity in all key points of the Tele2 network.

“Regardless of extraordinary circumstances and unexpected changes which are affecting our business environment, Tele2 is carefully following the influence of the social situation on network capacities, and, therefore, we make all our decisions with the aim to ensure long-term network stability and undisturbed communication for our users,” the Tele2 telecom stated.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

March 19, 2020 - The first coronavirus death in Croatia has been confirmed, the owner of a popular restaurant in Istria. 

The first coronavirus death in Croatia has been confirmed this morning, reports Index. 

Rumours of the first coronavirus death in Croatia started to circulate yesterday, when it was revealed that an Istrian man in self-isolation had died. Confirmation that the death was related to COVID-19 was delayed until test results were available, which they now are. 

He has been named Anton Nino Kernjus, the owner of a well-known restaurant in Istria, Konoba Astarea in Brtonigla.

Details are still emerging, and we will have a full update from this morning's press conference soon, as well as the daily update later. 

The first case of coronavirus in Croatia was recorded on February 25, 2020, and the current number of cases stands at 99, with two cases confirmed in Split last night, the furthest south the virus has spread. 

For the latest information, check the official government website, Koronavirus.hr. The website is in Croatian only, but Google Translate is your friend. 

For the latest COVID-19 coverage in Croatia in English, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

March 19, 2020 - Croatia Health Minister Vili Beros reported that 18 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have been confirmed since yesterday morning. The total number of cases in Croatia is 99. Yesterday, Croatia reported the first death from the virus. Five patients have recovered.

At 9:00 CET, the press conference of the National Headquarters of the Civil Protection began as reported by Index. At the same time, the Istrian headquarters had confirmed that a man infected with the coronavirus died in Istria. Here is what is known so far:

• 99 confirmed coronavirus cases
• 1 death
• 5 recovered

1264 Test Samples Completed in Croatia

"We have a total of 99 positive persons and 5 recovered. A total of 1264 test samples have been completed. The situation is epidemiologically very good," said Maja Grba Bujevic, asking citizens to comply with the prescribed measures.

"There are currently 12,519 people in self-isolation. We have 769 contacts who are being intensively monitored. There are 79 people quarantined and 18 truck drivers," she added.

"Most have mild symptoms, two have moderate symptoms," said Alemka Markotic.

Istrian Deceased Patient Had Coronavirus: Cause of Death Still Unknown

"The finding of the deceased confirmed that he had the coronavirus. During the day, all actions will be taken that will lead to information whether the death was caused by a virus or something else," she added.

"We are awaiting further findings to see the exact cause of death. When we receive them, we will release them all," she added.

"The gentleman belongs to the risk group. It is not unexpected that there will be deaths in the risk group, but let's wait for the autopsy results. Close contacts are being tested," Markotic says.

Locations of New Infections to be Announced

"We're still managing to contain the situation," Capak said. He said he would announce in the afternoon which sites were newly infected and where they were being treated.

"We have to minimize the spread of the virus to each other. That's the goal of the measures," Bozinovic said.

"Avoid close contacts and maintain good hygiene. In interiors, the distance from the other person must be at least 2 meters, outside at least 1 meter," Bozinovic reiterated.

"Some of these decisions can be altered by making them stricter, and they may be milder, all depending on how we as a community, as citizens, treat them," Bozinovic explained.

No More Foreign Nationals Entering Croatia, Except in Transit

"Since this morning, we have no more foreign nationals entering Croatia, except for those who heading to other countries. Everyone else has left the country already," he confirmed.

"Thank you to the media for doing the job responsibly to get our messages out to people. People should also reduce the number of times they leave their homes, except for those who go to work. They should respect rules we have made about going to the shops," Bozinovic added.

"Croatian citizens can return to the Republic of Croatia, with strict adherence to epidemiological measures," Bozinovic said.

Keep One Meter Distance Outside, Two Meters Inside

"It’s best that people stand in rows outside the shops. And keep an eye out, 1 meter, 2 meters inside. The operations headquarters will be checking on this. Everyone who follows these guidelines will reduce the risk of passing the virus from one to another. I think and hope that we have all showed a high level of responsibility. However, when we talked about violations of the self-isolation regime, punishment will not stop the spread of the virus if we do not adhere to all the prescribed measures. Maintain hygiene and keep a distance of 1 meter outside, and 2 inside,” he reiterated.

Follow our dedicated page on the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Croatia and watch for our daily update at 14:00 CET. The Croatian Government has also launched a website for information on the coronavirus (with map of cases) here.

March 19, 2020 - Online schooling in Croatia has replaced regular school for an initial two weeks due to the coronavirus crisis. Some reflections from the viewpoint of a dedicated teacher. 

 When a letter arrived from the Ministry of Science and Education last week to start distance education in Istria from Monday, we knew what was waiting for us in other parts of Croatia.

We quickly decided on which platform to use for online teaching at our school, added students and teachers to virtual classes, lent tablets and mobile cards to students from low-income families so that everyone could successfully follow classes with the help of ICT.

Helping each other out, we prepared first-hand teaching materials and devised backup plans and strategies to work from home every day. New circumstances imposed new rules and made us turn into teachers on the other side of the screen overnight.

Unfortunately, many colleagues from other schools still need to be present at schools in their workplaces. These are still unbelievable instructions by competent ministry directors. Every presentation, departure, and commute to work increases the risk of infection, and someone above us just can't figure it out.

And while one education adviser says 150,000 students have forgotten their passwords and crashed virtual platforms that students cannot log in to, it is simply a well-known situation that we teachers relive year after year, for example, when printing student certificates. And while they boast that we do so much better than other wealthier countries, I have to admit that I'm not so sure about that. My colleagues in Norway tell me that they have no problems with logging in to the system all day. A colleague from Turkey is surprised that in this situation, we are still required to be at work. They, too, are tired just like us, but at least their education ministers do not tell them that they have to come to school to learn to work online and, in collaboration with colleagues, be better prepared to work from home.

In communication with students, I see how frustrated many are that they are unsuccessfully trying to login to a system that has never been designed to handle such traffic and workload. My cellphone rings and messages come from all over, and I just can't help the students and their parents with any login issues. I try to calm them down, as always, and as the days go by, we will already get used to these existing problems.

Fortunately, I work in two small schools where we continue to encourage each other and share experiences, just as we do in teaching groups on social networks where we are from all over Croatia. We are aware that online teaching will not be as good as teaching in normal circumstances, but we do our best.

Although behind-the-scenes, friendly, kind and willing to help, we're still here for our students who may miss a class (be it on TV or in a virtual classroom), but we're sure everyone will get more important life lessons not written down in school books.

The views expressed in this article are solely mine and do not represent the views of either of the two schools in which I work.

For the latest on the coronavirus crisis, follow the dedicated TCN section.