Croatia is entering a phase of coexistence with the coronavirus and one can expect an increase in the number of new cases, which will depend on compliance with epidemiological measures, Deputy Prime Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Thursday.

Bozinovic, who heads the national coronavirus crisis management team, said that when the first stage of the fight against the novel coronavirus was over and restrictions were relaxed, it was noted that a new stage, one of coexistence with the virus, would start.

“That means that an increase in the number of new cases is expected. But that increase will in any case be smaller if we all stick to epidemioloigical measures. That is the best way to slow down the spreading of the virus during the summer,” he said.

He noted that more than 9.3 million people in the world were infected with the virus, and that there were more than 480,000 fatalities. In Croatia, a total of 2,388 positive cases have been reported, 2,145 patients have recovered and there are currently 136 active cases. More new cases are expected due to new hotspots.

Bozinovic said that epidemiologists went out in the field immediately after a new hotspot was reported, looking for contacts and putting the situation under control.

Most new cases ‘imported’ from Bosnia and Serbia

Most new cases are ‘imports’, mostly from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, as well as cases of virus spreading in indoor spaces, which is why decisions on a new border regime and compulsory wearing of masks in public transport have been made, said Bozinovic.

He noted that those measures would probably not last as long as the measures introduced in the first phase of the fight against the virus as now flexibility was required, as was a fast response in both introducing and relaxing restrictions.

“We have to make decisions faster so as to strike a balance between maintaining business and social life and protecting citizens’ lives and health,” Bozinovic said, noting that certain habits which had developed in the general population would be very important in the autumn, if researchers’ predictions about a second wave of the infection prove true.

Tomislav Dulibic, State Secretary at the Health Ministry, said that the health system was prepared to respond to any threat related to the virus, as it had been in the previous months, especially now that more information was available about the virus.