Fourteen new cases of Covid-19 infection have been identified in Croatia between morning and evening on Thursday, bringing the total to 495 patients. This marks a 12 percent increase over the past 24 hours, the lowest single-day increase in the past two weeks. A third death has also been confirmed late on Thursday.

In the past 24 hours the number of patients has increased by 53, which is less than we had yesterday (63) and the day before (69) and the day before that (74), Health Minister Vili Beros said.

According to N1 television’s database, compiled from daily government reports, this is the third day in a row that the 24-hour increase in confirmed cases has been dropping. From Monday’s 24 percent, through Tuesday’s 21 percent and Wednesday’s 16 percent, to 12 percent on Thursday.

A third death from the disease was reported on Thursday night. The victim was an elderly woman in the eastern city of Slavonski Brod, after an elderly man died earlier in the day in Zagreb. The first fatality was a man who had died at his home in Istria last week.

The Interior Minister, Davor Bozinovic, said that government agencies are quick to respond to any report of any activity still operating that has not been deemed essential during the epidemic. Croatia had closed last week all non-essential stores, restaurants, cafes and bars, allowing only grocery stores, newsagent kiosks, pharmacies, and petrol stations to remain open.

“The relevant services go out into the field and investigate every report. We have adopted a decision defining which activities are risky and they have been closed down. As far as other activities are concerned, we don’t want the economy to come to a complete halt but it is important to check that epidemiological measures are being respected,” said Bozinovic.

He appealed to stores to adhere to restricting the number of shoppers and that shoppers need to be prepared to wait in queues in front of stores and to keep their distance. “Entire families do not need to go to the store but just one member and in particular do not take children to the stores. I also call on everyone to organise online shopping.”

Bozinovic explained that an inter-city bus service has been organised with the assistance of bus companies and in cooperation with local civil protection authorities to organise transport for people who work in Zagreb.

Commenting on two police officers diagnosed with Covidw-19, he said that one is from Zagreb and the other from the northern Medjimurje region.

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