Croatia is among the hardest hit countries in Europe in terms of the number of people infected with the coronavirus per 100,000, Health Minister Vili Beros said at a cabinet meeting on Monday, adding that the country's healthcare system was making maximum effort to provide adequate care for Covid-19 patients.

“The healthcare system is under great pressure. By continually monitoring the needs in the field, it is successfully responding to demands, including exchanges of doctors, medical equipment, ventilators and extending hospital wards,” Beros said.

He said that two more Covid wards had been opened last week, in the Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation in the spa town of Krapinske Toplice and the Clinical Hospital Centre in Rijeka.

“The healthcare system is making maximum effort to provide healthcare to Covid positive and other priority patients. That’s why I appeal to the citizens to show maximum responsibility and adhere to the epidemiological measures because our behaviour today will define the epidemiological picture and the availability of healthcare services over the next few weeks,” the health minister said.

Beros said that 1,495 health workers were currently Covid positive and 925 were self-isolating, while 7,492 had recovered.

He said that a decision on a special reward for health workers looking after Covid patients had been included in government procedure.