Croatia’s health minister says number of COVID infections, deaths alarming

Vili Beros (Photo: Marko Lukunic/POOL/PIXSELL)

ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) – Health Minister Vili Beros, who is isolating at home because he has coronavirus, said on Saturday the situation with the number of infections and related deaths was alarming and announced that he would talk with county heads on Tuesday.

Speaking for RTL television via video link, he again called for people to be more responsible.

“Tuesday is an important day when all of us at the national level will once again talk with prefects, which will be an opportunity for the national, local and regional governments to hold constructive talks and assess all problems.”

Asked if that meant they would discuss new restrictions, Beros said every opportunity was good for talks.

He said many were criticising the national COVID response team’s measures, but added that many in the world claimed that milder restrictions would be effective if people complied with them.

“We can impose stricter measures, but if people won’t wear masks and (if they) socialise at private gatherings… Everything is an opportunity to show responsibility.”

Asked if it was realistic for a vaccine to be in Croatia by Christmas, Beros said, “We joined early enough all European initiatives for procuring vaccines from various manufacturers. As a state, we have done everything. Now it’s all up to the manufacturers.”

A record-high 3,573 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Croatia in the last 24 hours and there have been 47 related fatalities, the national coronavirus response team said on Saturday.

Currently, there are 19,079 active cases in the country, of whom 1,981 are receiving hospital treatment, including 213 who are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 100,410 people have been infected with the novel virus, of whom 1,304 have died.

A total of 80,027 people have recovered, including 2,640 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 45,150 people are currently in self-isolation.

To date, 667,749 people have been tested for coronavirus, including 9,877 in the last 24 hours.