Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday that the coronavirus situation in Croatia was serious and that the national Covid-19 response team was preparing a new package of measures to reduce the intensity and spread of the epidemic.
“We discussed the matter yesterday and the day before yesterday so that, based on recommendations from scientists, epidemiologists, the Croatian Public Health Institute and all those involved, the national response team could prepare a package of new measures with which we would try to organise our lives and work in such a way as to reduce the intensity and spread of the epidemic,” the prime minister said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning.
In the last three weeks of October, the number of infections doubled almost every week, increasing at rates of between 80 and 100 percent, he said. In the last three weeks the numbers have continued to grow, but at a considerably slower rate thanks to the measures undertaken. This week this rate has been about 10 percent, he added.
“Although the growth rate is not as high as it was in October, it is concerning that the daily numbers are high, with an average number of daily infections exceeding 2,550,” Plenkovic said.
“The measures in place have slowed the spread of the epidemic, but the curve has not started to descend in a way we would want it. We need to make additional efforts to reduce the burden on the healthcare system,” he added.
Plenkovic said that the present situation had also resulted in the daily number of Covid-19-related deaths increasing to above 35 in recent days, “which is a sufficient indicator of the seriousness of the situation.”
The prime minister again appealed to the public to adhere to the measures in place – to wear face masks, use hand sanitiser, not shake hands with other people, maintain a safe distance, air out their rooms and offices, and reduce socialising.
He said that the European Council was meeting today to discuss common measures and expectations regarding the certification and verification of one of the vaccines.