Chief State Health Inspector calls for extension of epidemic emergency

Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev said on June 9 that it is necessary to extend the Covid-19 epidemic emergency situation, which is due to expire on June 14, because of the complicated situation in the regions of Dospat, Sarnitsa and Sliven.

Kunchev said that according to him this is not a second wave of the virus, because the spread is not diffusive, but is in clusters.

The situation in the South Bulgarian town of Dospat is complicated. Therefore common measures are needed to take place simultaneously in all municipalities in the region, he said.

Kunchev was speaking a few hours after an increase of 83 new cases of coronavirus was registered in the past 24 hours, more than 50 of them at a toy factory in the town of Dospat. Thirty-five cases are in the village of Sarnitsa. Because of these outbreaks , he had a meeting with epidemiologists from the districts of Smolyan, Pazardzhik and Blagoevgrad and mayors from the region.

After the meeting, he said that it would be a good idea to extend the epidemic situation because if it is lifted it would make it legally impossible to impose border control measures.

He said that the workers at the toy factory in Dospat had concealed their symptoms for fear of losing their jobs.

Kunchev said that he would propose an extension of the epidemic situation .