Covid-19: Bulgaria reinstates some restrictions after a spike in daily cases

Speaking at an emergency briefing on July 9, Bulgaria’s Minister of Health said that analysis of the Covid-19 situation in the country shows that the number of cases has increased and passed the critical point of 200 people per day. If we reach this level of infection, some of the measures used previously must be restored, the minister was categoric.

The briefing took place after the daily number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to 240.

A lot of anti-epidemic measures have been removed for several weeks and it was related to the desire for Bulgarians to return to normal life and get used to the fact that we have to live in the presence of the coronavirus, the minister said. According to him, unfortunately, the analysis shows that in the coming days the number of new cases is not expected to decrease, there may even be a tendency for a new increase.

At the regular meeting today of the National Task Force against the Coronavirus with Prime Minister Borissov, it was proposed to the Prime Minister and he agreed to restore some of the measures.

Minister Ananiev stated that he had already signed the order to change the anti-epidemic measures. It will enter into force at 00.01 on 10 July.

The new changes to the existing measures are:

- All team and individual outdoor and indoor sports events will be held without an audience.

- Visits to discos, piano bars, nightclubs and indoor entertainment facilities are not allowed. Visits to outdoor areas of these places are allowed provided that 50% of the total capacity is used and the requirement for physical distance of one and a half metre is observed.

- Group celebrations with the presence of more than 30 people indoors and outdoors are prohibited, including balls, christening ceremonies etc. They can be held, but only with up to 30 people at a distance of a metre and a half.

The latest changes are related to the obligations of the state bodies and institutions for strengthening the control. The Ministry of Health should assign to the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency a revision of inspections in the restaurants and entertainment establishments. The Ministry of Labour must assign to the General Labour Inspectorate to carry out inspections of employers regarding compliance with the requirements. Regional Health Inspectorates should also strengthen controls. District governors also need to strengthen controls in the districts.

Ananiev informed that after the meeting with the Prime Minister, a video conference was held with the district governors in the country, who stressed the need to increase the control by the headquarters and the mayors regarding the implementation of the anti-epidemic measures. It was reminded that they have the opportunity, within their competences, to announce additional measures in accordance with the conditions of the given area.

The measures will be in place until further notice.

If there is a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, it is possible to adopt stricter measures, but at this stage there are no conditions for that, the minister added.

The good news is that the number of recovered Covid-19 patients is increasing every day, Ananiev added.

According to him, the increase in the number of infected is due to the graduation balls parties, the gathering of many people in one place, cluster places and certain groups of the population.

"Unfortunately, we believed that everything was over. A survey shows that 1.1 million Bulgarians claim that there is no such disease, and 20 percent claim that it is a cold. This shows that we have underestimated the situation," said the minister.

The Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev warned all restaurant owners that the control will be very strict Minister Ananiev added that this also applies to all grocery stores and shopping malls.