Photo: Archive
"We cannot count on the pandemic extinguishing itself', Prof. Ventsislav Moutafchiiski added
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria continues to increase, while the UK variant of the virus is infecting younger people, which is why additional measures will be introduced if needed, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Health Minister Kostadin Angelov said on Tuesday.
Minister Kostadin Angelov has cut short his leave [due to him taking part in the election campaign] on Prime Minister Borissov's orders and is fully dedicating himself to containing the spread of the virus in Bulgaria, the Government's information service reported.
150 more people with COVID-19 died in Bulgaria
"Elections come and go, but protecting people's lives and health is currently the most pressing task. That is why we will not hesitate to once again impose stricter measures, no matter how much the economy and finances suffer," the Prime Minister said during the meeting.
"I see that Bulgarians are tired of the measures, they want their social contacts, but you have elected me because I can take responsibility for my decisions. I am opposed to measures issued by orders, but if the hospitals cannot take it anymore, we will impose restrictions," Borissov said.
More than 76,000 doses of COVID vaccine arrived in Bulgaria
The Health Minister has reported during the working meeting that the number of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations are increasing. It was also reported during a meeting Angelov had with the chiefs of the regional health inspectorates late on Monday that the situation is grave in nine regions, where morbidity is high and a high percentage of the positive COVID-19 samples were found to be of the UK variant.
Bulgarian health authorities work on vaccination certificate
The head of the national coronavirus task force, Prof. Ventsislav Moutafchiiski said that the growing number of cases can be contained only in the old-fashioned ways, which have proven to be effective throughout the years. "We cannot count on the pandemic extinguishing itself. There must be measures," he said.
Director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases and member of the national coronavirus task force, Prof. Todor Kantardjiev, said that the sharp increase of new cases in some regions is due to the UK variant, which has been shown to infect younger people now.
