Outgoing Minister of Health: Given the pace of vaccination against Covid-19, Bulgaria will achieve herd immunity by end of August

More than 1 million Bulgarians are currently protected from COVID-19, the outgoing Minister of Health, Prof. Dr. Kostadin Angelov, said at the regular weekly briefing on the current epidemic situation in the country.

"We have achieved a lot in the battle with COVID-19 compared to other countries. This only shows the right path. As regards our neighbouring countries we achieve better results compared to the severity of the measures. Bulgarians are regaining their freedom and normal life," said Prof. Angelov and thanked again the Bulgarians who observe the measures and wear masks.

More than 1 million citizens are currently protected from COVID-19, he said, taking into account the total number of recoveries and vaccinated. For another week in a row, the number of recoveries is higher than the new cases.

“Bulgarians are increasingly regaining their freedom and normal life. We achieved it thanks to the efforts of all, thanks to the observance of the anti-epidemic measures, " said Prof. Angelov.1

1,382 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours out of 14,082 tests. A total of 7,168 people are in hospital, 697 of them are in intensive care. The total number of recoveries is 335,437 including 3.019 over the past 24 hours. The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the country is 16, 278, of which 96 were reported in the past 24 hours. The average age of people who have died from COVID-19 is 72, the minister said. He also reported a steady downward trend in the percentage of bed occupancy on a national basis.

For the period of the last 14 days, in terms of morbidity, Bulgaria ranks 18th in the European Union and 6th on the Balkan Peninsula after Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Greece. In terms of mortality, Bulgaria is in 2nd place in the EU after Hungary and 3rd in the Balkans after Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia, the Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev told the briefing.

There are already 10 districts in the country with a morbidity below 300 per 100,000 population, these are Razgrad, Pleven, Sliven, Haskovo, Vidin, Kardzhali, Blagoevgrad, Yambol, Targovishte and Silistra. Only 7 districts have a morbidity between 400 and 500 per 100,000, and the highest morbidity for the past 14 days is in R0usse, Dobrich, Varna, Sofia-city, Sofia-district, Pernik and Lovech.

The number of hospitalizations is decreasing, said the hea dof the National Coronavirus Task Force, Ventsislav Mutafchyiski.

"We have a 23% reduction in new infections on a weekly basis. Mortality is 16% on a two-week basis, 11% on a one-week basis. We have a serious decrease in the past 7 days," he said.

If the pace of vaccination is maintained until the end of August, we will achieve herd immunity, said the outgoing Minister of Health Prof. Kostadin Angelov. He reminded that green corridors for vaccination will be opened tomorrow. The immunization points will be open from April 30 to May 9.

"They will be using mRNA vaccines, mostly the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. We have enough vaccines already. We seek to achieve our vaccination targets as quickly as possible," Angelov said.

From May 10, the information system will work. "Bulgarians will be able to get the vaccine they prefer. We can now afford it," he said.

So far, 775,601 people have been vaccinated. Today and tomorrow the number of vaccinated will exceed 800,000. The most used vaccines are from "Pfizer", followed by "Astra Zeneca" and "Moderna". the chairman of the National Vaccination Headquarters Prof. Krassimir Gigov said.

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