NEWS OF THE DAY: Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov initiated a joint letter with foreign ministers from the region, the Western Balkans to be exempted from the special regime for export of protective face masks and medical suits.
“NATO through its assistance mechanism in some way has a role of a coordination center between the demands and needs of the member countries and they can enable assistance. Ours first arrived from Norway, respirators, and this afternoon a Turkish plane will arrive in
Skopje with assistance. Previously, Hungary, Slovenia, the US, the Netherlands have given assistance to the health care system. The EU has provided a package of 400 million euros for the Western Balkans, about 70 million for our country, for the economic consequences”, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Morning briefing.
The ministers, within the framework of NATO, also spoke about the fight against fake news, and Dimitrov requested greater vigilance and caution from the citizens, since in a state of emergency there is fertile ground for the spreading of fake news.
“Lithuania has offered specific assistance, one of the countries that has experience in fighting fake news… tackling this phenomenon is not easy, it requires vigilance and caution among citizens, institutions, journalists. Not everything we read is true, it must be re-checked, especially in such a state of emergency when the ground is fertile for fake news. For instance, the day when the US ratified the Protocol for North Macedonia, there were various stories about the 5G network, some kind of attempt to overshadow the good news”, pointed out Dimitrov.
“No one knows exactly how much the pandemic will last and I think that solidarity will grow with time. We cannot stop this virus in one country and thereby completely stop it. We will have to help each other as a region, continent and humanity in order to put an end to this state of emergency. We are strengthening the domestic capacities for protective masks. If we satisfy our needs, why not help outside the country”, said the Minister.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY:
The bilateral relations with neighbouring Bulgaria, namely, developing friendship and removing all identity challenges, will be the last process of closing the Macedonian issue, considers Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov.
STATE OF EMERGENCY, DAY 21
At the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Skopje a 73-year-old person from Kumanovo died. A 44-year-old man was found dead in his apartment in Kavadarci, who was tested for coronavirus after his death and the virus was confirmed yesterday. Today’s statistics also includes the patient who died yesterday on the way to the “September 8” City Hospital.
“This afternoon, the 27-year-old mother from Kumanovo with coronavirus who just recently gave birth has died. She gave premature birth to a baby boy on March 30 at the Clinic for Gynaecology and Obstetrics in Skopje, who was negative to the virus”, announced Minister of Health Venko Filipce.
Today 5 recovered patients have been discharged from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Skopje, who after two negative control tests and in a good general condition are going home. Four new patients have been admitted at this Clinic, and currently there are 66 patients hospitalized there, of which 7 are on ventilators.
Four patients suspected of having coronavirus have been admitted to the “September 8” City Hospital. The total number of positive and suspected COVID-19 cases in this hospital is 26, of which 8 are in a serious condition and 3 are on respiratory machines.
There are no new patients admitted for treatment in the Stip hospital. Currently, there are 4 patients, of which 1 patient has medium – severe symptoms with pneumonia and 3 are stable.
There are also no new patients in the hospital in Bitola. At the moment, there are 4 patients being treated who are stable.
In the last 24 hours, 18 new cases have been registered positive for coronavirus. By cities: Skopje – 7, Kumanovo – 2, Prilep – 4, Bitola – 2, Kavadarci -1 (who has died), Krusevo – 1 and Kocani -1. This brings the total number of diagnosed COVID-19 patients in our country to 617.
According to the place of residence, COVID-19 cases have so far been registered in the following cities:
Skopje – 261
Kumanovo – 130
Debar – 49
Stip-20
Prilep – 38
Tetovo – 29
Struga – 28
Veles – 10
Bitola – 8
Ohrid – 3
Kavadarci – 3
Gostivar – 4
Gevgelia – 4
Strumica – 2
Kriva Palanka-3
Radovis – 4
Krusevo – 3
Kocani – 18
In the past 24 hours, 351 tests have been made. A total of 6.230 tests for COVID-19 have so far been made in the country.
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The ban on movement of citizens throughout the entire territory of the country starts from 4.00 pm today and ends 5.00 am on weekdays. During weekends (Saturday and Sunday), there will be a complete ban on movement for all citizens, more specifically, from 4.00 pm on Friday until 5.00 am Monday morning.
According to the Government decision, people aged over 67 as of today can go outside only between 10.00 am and 12.00 pm, while those under the age of 18 during weekdays may go outside from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
Citizens are not allowed to move in public places in groups of more than two people, with the exception of children under the age of 14, if they are accompanied by a parent. For agricultural activities, movement is allowed on the territory of the villages and only for work purposes.
The ban does not apply to members of the police, army members, health care workers, as well as for markets and restaurants that deliver products. Pharmacies will work.
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The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia at today’s 38th session, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labor and Social Policy allowed a special regime of movement for people with disabilities.
The ban on movement will not apply for these fellow citizens from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm from Monday to Friday, and 11.00 am to 1.00 pm during weekends.
This measure also applies to persons accompanying these citizens during the permitted movement in the given time periods.
FLASH NEWS
Today at 6pm, through the online streaming of the video session “COVID-19, questions and answers about the curfew”, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia will inform the citizens and the media about all the details related to the new restrictions on movement of citizens nationwide, which start as of today.
The video session will be broadcasted on the Government’s YouTube channel, as well as on the Facebook page://www.facebook.com/koronavirus.gov.mk and https://www.facebook.com/VladaMK.
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The detention of the two violators, aged 23 and 26, has been extended, who in January brutally beat a 20-year-old girl and recorded the violence with a mobile phone.
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The President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia today addressed the public on the occasion International Romani Day.
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The SCPC and the Platform of Civic Organization have come out with a statement about their activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov stated that they will send about a hundred protective medical suits for medical workers in North Macedonia.
Diana Tahiri in cooperation with Biljana Jordanovska
Translation: N.Cvetkovska
