Coronavirus in Croatia latest: Five new cases confirmed, more restrictions  

(Photo: MORH)

ZAGREB, 14 March 2020 – The National Civil Protection Authority has said on Saturday morning that there were five new cases of COVID-19 confirmed overnight in Croatia, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 37. 

The new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the city of Osijek (2), Sisak, Varazdin and Zagreb. One of those infected had just returned from the United States, whilst one other had returned to Croatia from Spain. 

There are now confirmed coronavirus cases in the cities of Zagreb, Pula, Umag, Porec, Rijeka, Varazdin, Osijek and Sisak. There have been no deaths yet in Croatia.

Krunoslav Capak from National Civil Protection Authority said that the first two coronavirus cases in Croatia, twin brothers from Zagreb, had both recovered and were now negative. One had been released from hospital, whilst the other will go home this weekend. 

Health Minister Vili Beros said on Friday that currently 553 samples were being tested with 5,991 people are under observation.

All classes in primary and secondary schools and at universities in Croatia will be suspended for two weeks starting Monday with classes continuing online and via television. 

Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said that the new rules forcing citizens from EU countries strongly hit by the coronavirus to be quarantined or to self-isolate on entering Croatia is a deterrent and was working well.

Croatia Airlines also announced that it was suspending international flights to Split, Dubrovnik and Rijeka until further notice. More details about enterting Croatia here. 

Fines and possible criminal charges have also been imposed for those in breach of self-isolation orders.

It was also reported that in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina 18 people to date had been infected with the coronavirus. In Slovenia there were 141 cases, 19 in Hungary and 35 in Serbia. There were no details reported for Montenegro or Kosovo.

One of the cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Croatia was a Croatian solider contracting the disease, however, the situation in the army is under control, the National Civil Protection Authority said.

“He was in close contact with an infected person. We still do not have any indications of local transmission,” the Minister of Health Vili Beros emphasised at the National Civil Protection Authority’s press conference. The infected soldier was admitted to the Fran Mihaljevic infectious diseases hospital in Zagreb.

The director of the Fran Mihaljevic hospital, Alemka Markotic, emphasised that only one newly diagnosed patient had mild symptoms, while all others were stable.

Answering questions from the press about the child diagnosed with coronavirus, Markotic emphasised that health authorities had asked a number of times that family matters be not revealed to the public. “We will not disclose any family information for now,” she added.

She emphasised that, according to available information on the epidemic, the information disclosed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was correct, namely that the percentage of infected children and persons younger than 20 was extremely low, Hina reported.

“Even if they are infected, their symptoms are very mild,” Markotic said.

More serious forms of the disease were registered within the at-risk population, among persons older than 70, and especially among those suffering from chronic diseases, she added.