site.btaSofia Closes Night Clubs and Bars as Coronavirus Cases Spike

ESD 16:13:01 24-10-2020
PP1611ES.103


 Sofia Closes Night Clubs and Bars as Coronavirus Cases Spike

Sofia, October 24 (BTA) - Bulgaria is introducing more restrictions as coronavirus infections remained high. In the capital Sofia, bars, clubs and discos will close for two weeks, and planned hospital admissions and surgeries will be cancelled.

There are 1,589 new coronavirus cases in Bulgaria after 9,831 PCR tests done in the 24 hours until midnight on Friday, according to the national coronavirus platform coronavirus.bg published Saturday morning.

This adds up to a total of 36,519 confirmed cases, including 17,340 active cases. A total of 1,886 patients are hospitalized and 127 are in intensive care. The new recoveries total 269 adding up to 18,102 since the start of the pandemic. Thirteen people have died bringing the death toll of the pandemic to 1,077. The PCR tests done since the start of the pandemic in March total 652,508.

The decision to close night clubs was issued by the Sofia coronavirus taskforce and was announced by Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova in a Facebook post. The order for the temporary closure will become effective on October 25 and will be in place until November 8. Fandakova recalled that in recent days Sofia has hit the red zone with a constant increase in the number of coronavirus infections. The number of people who are hospitalized is also worrying, with 411 COVID-19 patients in hospital on Saturday, up from 368 a day earlier. The number of people in intensive care has also risen, Fandakova wrote.

The number of beds dedicated to coronavirus patients will be increased. Under an order of the Health Minister each hospital should dedicate at least 10 per cent of its total bed capacity. Fandakova commended the decision but said that the real difficulty will be to find enough doctors, nurses and orderlies to take care of the patients.

The Sofia coronavirus taskforce recommends employers to introduce remote work, shift work or work in separate teams wherever possible and depending on the work specifics.

Another recommendation of the taskforce is for universities to switch to online learning depending on the type of practice and training.

In a position made public earlier on Saturday the Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) calls for the closure of night clubs across the country and for a ban of audiences at all collective and individual sports events is safe distance and anti-epidemic measures can't be observed.

The Association voices concern over the spike in COVID-19 infections. It says that medics are one the edge of psychological and physical survival, the number of infected staff continues to rise and some have surrendered to the virus.

"Against this backdrop while concessions continue to be made for football matches, discos and night clubs, an order has been issued to stop planned hospital admissions surgeries in regions where the infection rate exceeds 120 per 100,000 population," the Association said.

The ban on scheduled admissions and surgeries was introduced by an order of the Health Minister on Friday.

According to the Association this measure is rushed because a restriction of routine medical activity should come as a last resort.

The Association is categorical that anti-epidemic measures should be consistent.

The Association does not want the national economy to come to a halt. On the contrary, the normal pace of life should be kept as far as it is possible. The work process should continue where anti-epidemic measures can be observed. Eating establishment need not be closed if the recommended safe distance is observed and regular control is exercised. In eight months the business has adapted to the new reality, the Association says.

According to BMA, anti-epidemic measures cannot be observed at discos, night clubs and stadiums. LN/PP