Croatia enters critical COVID-19 period, officials say

Zagreb (Photo credit: HINA/ Damir SENÈAR/ ds)

ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) – Croatian Institute of Public Health director Krunoslav Capak said on Friday that Croatia had entered a critical period of the COVID-19 epidemic when it was necessary to carefully consider measures regarding Easter visits and greetings.

Speaking at a press conference of the national civil protection authority, he reiterated that going to supermarkets and farmers’ markets must be in line with epidemiological recommendations. He said that if people in supermarkets started acting as though there was no epidemic, tighter measures would be imposed.

Capak said 11 staff and many residents of a nursing home in Split were infected with the virus and that there was one infection in a nursing home in the southern coastal town of Ploce and another one in the northern town of Koprivnica. He added that new instructions had been defined to step up protection in such facilities.

Speaking of Croatians who work abroad and are coming home for Easter, Capak said they would no longer be allowed to leave Croatia without permission from epidemiologists and that they would require a certificate that their self-isolation period had ended in order to cross the border.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said that dealing with the epidemic depended on every citizen.

“People must accept that the times are not normal, aware that the health of their dearest ones and how soon we will come out of this crisis depends on their behaviour. Solidarity is the operative word in this crisis. We have entered a critical period and how long it will last depends only on us.”

He and Health Minister Vili Beros said all staff engaged in the fight against COVID-19 who had given their utmost would be financially rewarded, although in line with financial possibilities.