Many countries are putting into place new restriction measures as a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates across the region.
Croatia has registered 2,421 new cases of the coronavirus infection over the past 24 hours, 1,963 new coronavirus have been registered in Slovenia and Bulgaria has registered 1,043 new cases.
Romania has registered 3,855 new cases, Great Britain has reported 19,970 case and Italy has confirmed 27,271 cases.
Out of 1,901 COVID-19 tests carried out in North Macedonia in the past 24 hours, 561 new cases were registered, 197 patients have recovered and 22 passed away, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
Twenty-two patients passed away, seven from Skopje (aged 35, 55, 64, 66, 71, 71 and 78), two from Debar (58 and 64), two from Veles (61 and 64), two from Bitola (70 and 74), two from Gostivar (76 and 79), two from Kriva Palanka (56 and 88), one from Kumanovo (57), one from Prilep (61), one from Struga (75), one from Kochani (60) and one from Delchevo (81).
Most of the new cases were registered in Skopje – 271.
The existing hospital facilities for the hospitalization of patients with COVID-19 as well as the modular hospital are filled up with nearly 600 patients hospitalized in the country’s infectious disease wards.
In the past 24 hours, 17 new patients were admitted to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, and currently 137 patients are hospitalized.
6 children and 8 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 were hospitalized in the Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Children-Kozle, as well as 3 children and 1 mother suspected of COVID-19. 57 patients are hospitalized in the hospital in Bitola, and 54 patients are treated in the hospital in Shtip. 281 suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients are treated in hospitals in Tetovo, Ohrid, Veles, Kumanovo, Prilep, Gostivar, Strumica, Struga, Kochani, Gevgelija and Kavadarci.
“The situation with the coronavirus is very serious and critical, and hospitals and health care workers are under enormous pressure. No one is spared as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates across Europe and the world. It depends on everyone how we will overcome this second wave,” Health Minister Venko Filipche said late Sunday.
He wrote on his Facebook profile that he expects all restriction measures and legal changes to be adopted immediately and in fast-track procedure and called for individual responsibility to respect for all protection measures.
“Today, unfortunately, the country registered highest number of fatalities, 22 patients lost the battle with COVID-19. Out of the tested persons, 30% were positive and nearly 600 patients are hospitalized in the infectious wards of the country,” Filipche wrote.
Parliament is set to adopt set of recommendations including wearing a protective face mask outdoors, prohibiting the gathering of more than four people outdoors and limiting the number of visitors at homes.
The government adopted stricter measures to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the country. These include restricting the working hours of hospitality businesses to no later than 11 p.m. and limiting passenger capacity to 50 percent in all public transportation. It also adopted the recommendation on organizing the work process of the entire state and public administration, municipalities and courts, to organize work in shifts or work online.
