Health Minister Vili Beros said on Wednesday that Croatia's healthcare system is at full readiness to respond to the developments following a record high number of new coronavirus cases.

“There are more and more infected people due to the Omicron variant and festivity gatherings, and therefore we are maintaining the healthcare system at full readiness,” Beros said at the government’s cabinet meeting.

Croatia registered 8,587 new coronavirus cases and 32 Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Wednesday.

The number of new infections in that period is around 50% higher than last week and twice the number of two weeks ago.

Minister Beros said that a mere 16.2% of adults had been given a booster dose, and explained that this was insufficient “for an adequate response” to the possible threat arising from the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The system is ready for rising hospital admissions, and most hospitals can increase their Covid capacities in a short period, the minister said.

The situation is unchanged in the majority of hospitals, with hospitals in Pula, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik registering a rise in hospitalisations, Beros added.

The national coronavirus response team’s head, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, said that the response team was considering new epidemiological measures amidst a surge of new coronavirus cases.

Bozinovic said that it was of utmost importance to comply with the current Covid protocols.