Authorities reported “fragile signs” that the epidemic was weakening

Health officials reported the first fragile signs that the epidemic was beginning to weaken during their regular briefing on Thursday.

During the last 7 days, 16,872 people have recovered from Covid-19 infection in Bulgaria, and this week alone there are 11,405.“These numbers are the hope in this battle that continues to put pressure on the health system.”said the Minister of Health.

According to the morbidity indicator at 14 days Bulgaria ranks ninth in the European Union with 554 per 100,000 patients. We are in third place in the Balkans, said Professor Todor Kantardzhiev, director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. Talking about Bulgaria’s 14-day death rate is 27.5 per 100,000 population, second in the EU and the European Economic Area..

“But the good thing about it is that at this moment in our country there is a weak, a fragile tendency to reduce the total number of caseswhich in no way should reduce our vigilance and make things go in the opposite direction. “ Kantardzhiev said.

“The morbidity reduction curve is very fragile and it is too early to draw conclusions for success. We have 10 days left until December 21, in which together we must achieve the success we are talking about in the implementation of the measures ”.Angelov said.

He reported that 52% of beds for patients with uncomplicated forms of coronavirus are occupied. The occupation of intensive beds is 42%. The bed occupancy rate is high in Yambol – 98%, Shumen – 85% (but decreasing), Burgas, Blagoevgrad, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Sliven, Razgrad.

In red with a morbidity between 600 and 1000 people per 100 000 are Burgas, Vratsa, Sofia-city, Stara Zagora, Yambol. “The city of Sofia is on the brink, very soon we hope to fall below 600 per 1000 inhabitants”Angelov said.

New cases of Covid-19 are still more than cured

On Thursday, 3,328 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, while the number of cured was 3,050.

8578 PCR tests were performed, which means that 38.7% of those tested were infected.

Thus, the total number of coronavirus infected since the beginning of the pandemic in our country is already 171,493, of which 94,132 are active, and the number of cured is 72,078.

The most confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic were registered in the age range of 50 to 59 years: 35,174 people.

Currently, 6,998 people are being treated in hospitals, of which 544 are in intensive care units.

The death toll from a proven coronavirus infection is a total of 5,283, as 127 are deaths in the last 24 hours.

Most of the new cases of infection were registered in Sofia during the last 24 hours, 614, followed by the districts of Plovdiv – 325 and Varna – 321.

The distribution by areas of patients during the last 24 hours at the current address is: Blagoevgrad – 125; Burgas, 164; Varna, 321; Veliko Tarnovo, 198; Vidin – 22; Vratsa, 94; Gabrovo, 79; Dobrich, 76; Kardzhali, 23; Kyustendil, 47; Lovech, 46; Montana, 57; Pazardzhik – 86; Pernik, 52; Pleven, 141; Plovdiv – 325; Razgrad – 25; Ruse – 124; Silistra, 35; Sliven – 136; Smolyan, 41; Sofia region – 103; Sofia (city) – 614; Stara Zagora, 162; Targovishte – 23; Haskovo, 61; Shumen – 58; Yambol – 90.

The number of infected medical personnel continues to rise, reaching 7,445 since the start of the pandemic. 2516 of them are doctors and 2420 are nurses.

Active medical cases at the moment are 3590, of which 3,362 are for home treatment, 228 in medical institutions, 27 in intensive care units.

The Minister of Health reserved for the opening of nurseries and gardens

In this context, the Minister of Health expressed a more reserved position on Thursday on the opening of nurseries and kindergartens on December 14, an option that has been debated since the beginning of the week. “We are not preparing to open kindergartens, at the moment the data does not lead us in this direction,” said Health Minister Prof. Kostadin Angelov.

“We need all the information by the end of this week to make this decision. When we have enough data, we will make this decision or not. Do not give up in the middle of the road. There are only 10 days left until December 21.” , let’s use them in association. We extend a hand to all Bulgarians who follow the measures we have implemented. Show they understand their needs. “added.

“The pressure is enormous. According to some, the measures are liberal, according to others, no, and others do not believe in the existence of the virus.”said the Minister of Health.

Angelov recalled that the virus surprised all the predictions and “everyone was wrong”.

“I protect myself from categorical opinions. We follow all trends, in Bulgaria, inside and outside the European Union. The situation is very dynamic, it requires an extension of the virus so that we can defeat it. Hope comes with vaccines.”said the Minister of Health.