site.btaCOVID-19 Incidence, Hospital Situation Under Control

March 15 (BTA) - During a working meeting of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov with Health Minister Kostadin Angelov and representatives of the national coronavirus task force, it transpired that the spread of COVID-19 and the pressure on hospitals in Bulgaria are under control, the government press service informed on Monday. Bulgaria has in stock all the necessary medications, personal protective equipment and disinfectants to fight the pandemic. A total of 480,000 vaccine doses will be delivered to Bulgaria in March.

According to PM Borissov, most European countries have imposed strict antiepidemic measures against the backdrop of higher COVID-19 incidence, while Bulgaria is maintaining a normal standard of living with morbidity rates three times lower than Hungary's. He also said that 2 million doses of a fourth vaccine approved by the EU will be delivered to Bulgaria soon.

The Prime Minister tasked the health authorities with reorganizing the health system in such a way as to ensure that every patient receives adequate and timely treatment, regardless of their diagnosis.

Health Minister Kostadin Angelov informed PM Borissov that inoculations in Bulgaria are currently following the stages defined in the national vaccination plan. The health system is prepared to resume administering the AstraZeneca jab once the European Medicines Agency has declared it safe.

The pressure on Bulgaria's hospitals is under control. Additional beds are being opened and hospitals restructured to meet the increased local demand, the Health Minister said.

Chief health inspector and member of the coronavirus task force Angel Kunchev forecasts a growth in the newly confirmed cases over the next 2 to 3 weeks, followed by a downward trend in incidence.

Head of the Bulgarian Drug Agency Bogdan Kirilov said that the Agency is still reviewing information about cases of thromboembolic events in patients who have been administered one of the EU-approved vaccines. He added that this week a sitting of the Agency's committee on drug safety will take a close look at the situation both locally in Bulgaria, and in Europe as a whole.

Kirilov reported that a delivery of 21,060 doses of Pfizer was received on Monday morning, and 33,600 doses of Moderna are expected on Friday. A total of 480,000 vaccine doses will be delivered to Bulgaria in March.

Head of the Sofia Regional Health Inspectorate Dancho Penchev said that the situation in the capital is tense. As of Tuesday, hospitals are increasing their bed capacity for COVID-19 patients by 20 per cent.

RI/MT
/МТ/