Government ready with list of new anti-coronavirus measures: Deputy PM

“The government has a list of additional measures for curbing the spread of coronavirus, but for the moment there is no need to put them in place,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev in an interview for BNT. 
He pointed out that for this to happen, the number of people who are infected and the number of deaths would have to go up. In his words, the government is managing the crisis. “A full lockdown after the difficult spring would be a serious blow to the economy,” Tomislav Donchev said.

National quarantine is not being discussed: Defence minister

“An order is being drafted for military personnel who have recovered from the coronavirus infection to donate plasma to other patients,” said Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov. He called on all other people who have recovered from Covid-19 to do the same. 
“For the time being the government is not considering a national quarantine,” Minister Karakachanov said, adding that such a decision is up to the National Operational Headquarters. Private hospitals should join the fight against the epidemic more actively, and if they refuse they should be deprived of financing by the National Health Insurance Fund, Krasimir Karakachanov stated.

3,839 newly registered coronavirus cases, or 28% of all PCR tests performed

3,839  is the number of newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, out of 13,849 PCR tests conducted in Bulgaria over the past 24 hours, data of the Single Coronavirus Information Portal show.  
This means that 28% of all tests performed have returned positive. The highest number of newly registered infections is in Sofia – 1,435, Plovdiv – 382 and in Blagoevgrad – 237.
58 have diedin the past 24 hours, 727 have recovered, 3,563 patients with coronavirus are being treated in hospital, 257 of them in intensive care. 121 is the number of infections among medical staff in the past 24 hours.

Homeless people in Rousse left without hot meals

The Bulgarian Red Cross soup kitchen in Rousse, which has been providing food to homeless people during the cold months, will not be functioning due to the anti-coronavirus measures. Last year 48 people were given hot soup, a cooked meal and tea every work day, and were offered a bathroom with individual sanitary kits. The regional council of the Bulgarian Red Cross has decided to hand out canned food packages to the homeless instead.

“The problems with the homeless people are growing worse, just putting them up at a shelter can only take place after a negative coronavirus test, and none of them can afford a test,” says Antoaneta Yabanozova from the humanitarian organization.

Coronavirus outbreak at social home in Tvurditsa

Dozens of residents and members of the staff at the home for men with mental deficiency in Tvurditsa have been infected with Covid-19. All of the 200 residents and 103 staff members have been tested for Covid-19. 108 of the tests have returned positive. The residents are being attended to by their general practitioner, for now, no hospitalizations are necessary.

More and more people are going to need a cure for the emotional suffering: Social psychologist

“Unless the Covid-related stress and anxiety are treated this will have a negative effect on the economy,” social psychologist Ivan Ivanov said for the Bulgarian news agency BTA.
“More and more people are going need to a cure for their emotional suffering caused by the coronavirus and the restrictions imposed,” he says, and adds that it is very important what kind of messages the political leaders are conveying. In his words good leaders provide accurate and timely information, allow local authorities to assume part of the responsivity for addressing the crisis, take care of the most vulnerable groups – doctors, police, social workers.
“As we pass through the epidemic it is important to create an organization for psychological survival because the economy is, to a great extent, the function of people healthy in every respect,” Ivan Ivanov says.

Rapid tests will replace of PCR tests: Virologist

“The PCR tests will give way to the rapid tests which are a very good solution at this time,” Assoc. Prof. Lyubomira Nikolaeva, head of the Virology department of the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases said for BNT.
In her words, at the moment, the PCR tests are a burden on the healthcare system, giving positive results for people who may not be so contagious.
“It is my opinion as a virologist that the accuracy of rapid antigen tests is very good,” Assoc. Prof. Nikolaeva says. In her words most people retain their antibodies for at least 5 months, and the danger of re-infection is minimal.

Compiled by Diana Tsankova

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