Croatia confirms 85 new COVID cases in last 24 hours, new measures for autumn being considered

Interior Minister Davor Božinovic (Photo: HINA/ Daniel KASAP)

ZAGREB, Aug 17 (Hina) – Over the past 24 hours there have been 85 new cases of the coronavirus infection in Croatia, and there are 1,236 active cases, the national COVID-19 management team said on Monday.

Since February 25, when the first case of the infection in the country was confirmed, 6,656 people have contracted the disease, the press release said.

Of the total number of active cases, 126 people are now hospitalised, including 11 who are on ventilators.

In the last 24 hours, 990 people have been tested for the virus. To date, a total of 138,647 people have been tested for the infection. To date 5,254 have recovered, and 166 have died.

Bozinovic: Decision on mandatory masks in the open still not made

National Civil Protection Authority head Davor Bozinovic said on Monday that the authority was considering possible measures against the coronavirus for the autumn, however, for now, it had not adopted any conclusions about the obligation to wear masks in the open.

“We are thinking about measures for the autumn, however, there are no concrete conclusions, everything depends on the epidemiological situation,” Bozinovic told reporters.

He underscored that the school year is a challenge in itself and that a Science and Education Ministry task force will have the main role in communicating and recommending measures regarding schools. He announced that the task force was set to meet tomorrow.

“It is ungrateful to forecast what will be today or tomorrow regarding the number of infections, however, trends are important. We will certainly make sure trends lead towards a decrease in the number of infections,” he said.

“We have always adopted decisions that were an optimal solution at a particular moment,” he added.

Situation for tourists from Austria favourable

As regards recommendations by the Austrian government for its citizens vacationing in Croatia to return home, Bozinovic said that he was in constant contact with Austria’s authorities.

“We have been communicating intensively that the situation with the number of people infected is not the same in all parts of Croatia. It differs and in counties where the most tourists from Austria are staying it is particularly favourable. Austria’s authorities are aware of that, but whether they will take that fact into account as far as their citizens are concerned, I cannot say. That is a sovereign decision,” added Bozinovic.

From the very start of the tourist season, Croatia has been faced with opposed interests by countries from where tourists are coming. Those interests are not the same and everyone is trying to discourage their citizens with various measures from spending their money abroad, he said.

“Naturally, our interest is different and I think that this summer we have managed to achieve a balance, with Croatia having taken in a lot of tourists … much more than anyone else, including us, had expected,” said Bozinovic.