ZAGREB, 16 May, 2021 - In the past 24 hours 480 coronavirus cases and 21 COVID-19 deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 response team said on Sunday.

There are 6,232 active cases and 1,675 hospitalised patients, including 181 on ventilators, while 20,160 people are self-isolating.

To date 350,390 people have been registered as infected, the death toll is 7,708 and 336,450 people have recovered, including 1,113 in the past 24 hours.

To date 1,927,262 people have been tested for the virus, including 6,946 in the past 24 hours, and 1,346,991 vaccines have been administered, with 1,039,233 people receiving the first shot and 307,758 both.

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

ZAGREB, 14 May, 2021 - The head of the Zagreb-based Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Alemka Markotić,  said on Friday that the European Commission would in future be authorised for the purchase and distribution of the Pfizer vaccine and that Zagreb would be one of the centres included in producing DNA templates.

That means that only mRNA vaccines will be used in the EU, not because the AstraZeneca vaccine is not of a good quality but to ensure secure production and the possibility of responding quickly to new variants of the virus given that a vaccine can be produced within 100 days, said Markotić.

In addition to a high level of antibodies that remain for about six months, it is worthwhile developing cell immunity, which need not be the case with certain vaccines, she said.

"In 2022 and 2023, Zagreb will be one of the centres that will be included in the phase of producing DNA templates, which is important for Croatia's tradition and for Zagreb regarding the production of vaccines," she underscored.

For more about health in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 14 May, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, of 6,587 tests performed for coronavirus, 926, that is 14%, have returned positive, the national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Friday.

In the last 24 hours there have been 41 more deaths linked to COVID-19, bringing the COVID-related death toll to 7,664.

There are currently 7,214 active cases of  whom 1,752 infected patients are receiving hospital treatment, including 207 patients placed on ventilators.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia's health authorities confirmed the first registered case of the infection with the novel virus, more than 1.91 million tests have been conducted.

As many as 334,206 patients have recovered to date, including 1,537 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Currently 21,530 people are self isolating.

More than 1.26 million vaccine doses against COVID have been administered in Croatia since the beginning of this year. Over 980,000 people have been given at least one shot, and more than 288,000 have received both shots of the two-dose vaccine.

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

ZAGREB, 13 May, 2021 - In the past 24 hours 1,064 coronavirus cases and 34 deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Thursday.

The number of active cases stands at 7,866, including 1,837 hospitalised patients, 202 of whom are on ventilators.

To date Croatia has registered 348,158 coronavirus cases and the death toll stands at 7,623.

A total of 1,906,407 people have been tested to date, including 7,501 in the past 24 hours.

A total of 332,669 people have recovered, including 1,281 in the past 24 hours.

Currently 23,316 people are in self-isolation.

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

ZAGREB, 12 May, 2021 - In the past 24 hours 1,471 coronavirus cases and 40 deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Wednesday.

To date 1,898,906 people have been tested for the virus, including 8,773 in the past 24 hours.

The number of active cases is 8,117, including 1,892 hospitalised patients, 215 of whom are on ventilators, while 21,830 people are self-isolating.

To date Croatia has registered 347,094 coronavirus cases and the death toll stands at 7,589, while 331,388 people have recovered from COVID-19, including 1,059 in the past 24 hours.

To date 1,186,581 vaccines have been administered, with 919,139 people receiving the first and 267,442 both doses.

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

ZAGREB, 11 May, 2021 - The 35 million kuna contract on the elaboration of a feasibility study for the construction of a new complex housing the hospital centre in Osijek was signed on Tuesday in that biggest eastern Croatian city.

The document on preparing the feasibility study was signed by Health Minister Vili Beroš, the Osijek Hospital Centre head, Željko Zubčić and the representative of the consortium of bidders. As many as 30 million kuna will be provided from European funds, whereas the health ministry will cover the remaining 5.2 million.

Regional Development and EU Funds minister, Nataša Tramišak, said at the contract-signing ceremony that the co-funding from the EU funds was ensured through the "Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem" project.

She said that the construction of the future hospital centre was estimated at two billion kuna, and the exact sum would be known after the Osijek hospital centre provided full information.

Zubčić said that the new hospital centre "is a greenfield investment", and would be built at a new location. He said that the new hospital complex "is a necessity for Osijek and Croatia's east.

The elaboration of the feasibility study is expected to take a year.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

For more about health in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 11 May, 2021 - In the past 24 hours 876 coronavirus cases and 46 deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Tuesday.

The number of active cases is 7,745 and includes 1,928 hospitalised patients, 217 of whom are on ventilators, while 21,766 people are self-isolating.

To date 1,890,133 people have been tested for the virus, including 8,839 in the past 24 hours, 345,623 have been infected, 7,549 have died, and 330,329 have recovered from COVID-19, including 1,336 in the past 24 hours.

Over one million vaccine doses administered

To date 1,124,319 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, with 894,881 people receiving the first and 259,438 both doses.

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

ZAGREB, 10 May 2021 - Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) head Krunoslav Capak said on Monday that intensive talks were underway on trial, controlled events with more participants to take place this week, expressing confidence those pilot projects would go well and there would be no new infections.

"This will be a test, a project in which we will bring together two different populations of people in two places," Capak said at a news conference held as part of the "Healthy living" project.

One of the events will have 80 participants and the other 120. The participants will be people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, people who have a certificate proving that they have recovered from the disease, or people who will be tested for coronavirus right before the event. After seven days, PCR tests will be done to see if there has been any spreading of the disease.

"We don't expect it, similar activities have been implemented elsewhere in the world. Some did PCR testing after such events and obtained good results, there were no new infections. We hope everything goes well and that we will enter June in a more relaxed atmosphere," said Capak.

Close to 900,000 people vaccinated with at least one dose

Capak said that close to 900,000 people in Croatia had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and that 7.5% of them had received both doses.

A total of 1.1 million doses have been administered.

"By the end of June, we expect to use all the vaccines that will arrive and more than 55% of the adult population is likely to be vaccinated by then. That will make it possible for us to enter the summer more calmly and to have a successful tourist season," Capak said.

For all you need to know about coronavirus in Croatia, including border, travel and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centres across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

May 7, 2021 - TCN's regular retrospect of Highlights of the week, through the selection of TCN's reporter Ivor Kruljac. 

President Milanović loved by locals in Plaški. Firefighters quickly reacted to the fire in Zagreb recycle yard. Pula celebrated its liberation while Šibenik received new doses of coronavirus vaccines. Dinamo and Hajduk end their match in a tie. Overall another interesting week in Croatia, and here are more details on all highlights.

 Highlights of the week: President Milanović loved in Plaški county

© Kristina Stedul Fabac/ PIXSELL

Croatian president Zoran Milanović visited Plaški county near Ogulin on Tuesday to visit the newly-build Firefighter's home and Plaški Culture Home. The locals welcomed president Milanović with ovations, and many use the opportunity to handshake and take a photo with the president. As Večernji List reports, Milanović took the visit as an opportunity to comment on the hate speech incident at Borovo Selo. He stated that the President of Serbian National Council Milorad Pupovac and Croatian Prime Minister „should use the police, but they don't, they are causing incidents.

Highlights of the Week: Pula celebrating its liberation in WW2

© Srecko Niketic/ PIXSELL

Pula celebrated its annual liberation day and the Pula City Day, marked on May 5. In Tito's park, the traditional commemoration to the fallen WW2 soldiers of Tito's partisan army saw Tiziano Sošić (president of Pula City Council), Elena Puh Belci (vice mayor of Pula), Aleksandar Matić (chief of the City of Pula Office) and Fabrizio Radin (vice-county ruler of Istria county) paid their respects. Representatives of associations of anti-fascist fighters and anti-fascist of the city of Pula were present too. 

 Highlights of the Week: Dinamo and Hajduk end with an even score 1:1

© Milan Sabic/ PIXSELL

Hajduk and Dinamo's eternal opponents played another game at Hajduk's home of Poljud Stadium in Split on Wednesday. The match was the 22nd round in Croatian First League, and fans couldn't wait for it as the game was postponed.

Hajduk opened the match well and had a chance to take the lead in the first 20 seconds. Kačaniklić received an excellent long ball and ran on the right side. He rushed into the penalty area and shot diagonally, but Livaković came out and closed his corner. Dinamo improved and took the lead in the 16th minute with a goal by Majer, and Livaja returned the favor in the 44th minute. Diamantakos hit the crossbar in the final minutes of the match but without success.

After three victories in the previous three clashes with Hajduk this season, Dinamo failed to achieve maximum performance and almost mathematically secured the title but entered the last four rounds with a seven-point advantage over Osijek. The fail happened despite Dinamo facing Hajduk with the strongest possible lineup.  

Highlights of the Week: Vaccination in Šibenik continues successfully

© Hrvoje Jelavic/ PIXSELL

Larger quantities of vaccines came to Šibenik on Friday, allowing vaccination in Baldeki Sports Hall to go without problems for the second day in the row. The vaccination attracts a number of citizens, so the area got quite crowded.

Highlights of the Week: Recycling yard in Zagreb on fire, reasons unclear

© Matija Habljak/ PIXSELL

Zagreb's recycling yard, located on Sarajevska Cesta in Novi Zagreb, was victimized by fire but quickly localized and put under control on Tuesday. The fire caught four containers, and 21 firefighters with six fire trucks rushed to the field. Police investigated the cause of the fire, but the reason is, for the moment, unknown. Firefighters managed to operate despite the lack of hydrants, and the thick white smoke was noticed by citizens who live in the buildings close to the yard, reported Večernji List. 

To learn more about Croatia, have a look at our newly launched TC website.

For more about news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 7 May, 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, 1,435 new cases of the coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Croatia, and there have been 33 related deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Friday.

The number of active cases in Croatia today stands at 11,265. There are 2,079 COVID patients in hospitals, 242 of whom are on ventilators.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia registered its first case of the infection with the novel virus, a total of 342,487 people have been registered as having contracted coronavirus, 7,388 of them have died, while 323,834 have recovered, including 2,079 in the last 24 hours.

There are 28,436 people in self-isolation.

To date, 1,863,305 people have been tested, including 7,682 over the past 24 hours.

As at 6 May, 1,025,701 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Croatia. So far, 796,909 people have received at least one dose, and 228,792 of them have received both doses.

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