Some districts in Bulgaria introduce additional measures as Covid-19 cases rise

Pleven

A record spike in daily Covid-19 cases was reported in the district of Pleven (Central Northern Bulgaria) on March 9. For the past 24 hours, 154 positive cases were registered and the infection rate is 553 per 100,000 population.

What measures come into force in Pleven region?

• Mandatory wearing of protective face masks at markets and places where crowds are expected;
• Hospitals are required to set aside 15% of their beds for Covid-19 patients, instead of 11% as it was before;
• All non-urgent surgical procedures and hospital admissions are suspended.

Kyustendil

Kyustendil (Southwestern Bulgaria) is one of the districts most affected by the coronavirus in the country. The infection rate is 538 per 100,000 people. However, the local task force reported a decline in the number of people seeking help at the hospital. Probably this is the reason why the coronavirus task force in Kyustendil took a step back in the measures:

The obligatory wearing of masks outdoors has been cancelled.

Bourgas

Morbidity: 496 per 100,000 people, but not the number is the only thing that worries the local task force in this area.

"What we notice as a trend, as a morbidity, is that the new UK variant, which is more than 90% prevalent in the region of Bourgas, and not only, has affected younger people, " Dr. Georgi Pazderov, director of the regional health inspectorate in Bourgas said.

As of today, Bourgas region is taking new, more serious measures:

• Wearing mask outdoors becomes obligatory
• Extra beds are added to the Covid-19 wards
• Consideration is given for students from 5th to 12th grade switching to online learning.

Shoumen

A grim record for the local hospital, which cares for 197 Covid-19 patients. The incidence in this area reached 456 per 100,000 people. Stricter measures have been introduced:

• Online training for students from 5th to 12th grade.
• Restaurants are open until 10 pm.
• Stricter measures in shops – to allow customers only with trolleys and the number of trolleys should be limited in order to let small number of people inside the shops in order not to exceed the limit set out the Minister of Health’s order regarding the physical distance between people, the regional governor of Shoumen, Prof. Stefan Zhelev said.

Sliven

There is an increase in the number of newly confirmed Covid-19 patients admitted to the Military Hospital in the city of Sliven (Southern Bulgaria). The hospital ran out of Covid-19 beds.

The infection rate in the district is 333 per 100,000 people.

The scheduled non-urgent surgical procedures and admissions to hospitals have been suspended, except for the hospital for rehabilitation in the town of Kotel and birth centres.

An awareness campaign on the benefits of Covid-19 jabs is under way.

Yambol

The district of Yambol (Southern Bulgaria) has been classified as Covid-19 red zone. The incidence is 298 per 100,000 people.Covid-19 intensive care unit at St. Panteleimon Hospital is full.

Non-urgent surgical procedures, admissions and visits to hospitals have been suspended until March 21, 2021. As of March 10, 2021, for a week, patients with need for emergency abdominal surgical operations, without symptoms of Covid-19 infection, will be referred from the district hospital to the private clinic. "St. John of Rila".

Most of the events from the International Masquerade Festival "Kukerland", scheduled to begin on Friday, will be cancelled. The programme of the mummers festival will only include in-person or online visits of exhibitions and re-enactments of customs in which the gathering of people is limited.