site.bta1,594 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Bulgaria,First Health Worker Death Reported

May 2 (BTA) - The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria was 1,594 as at 5 pm on Saturday, show data of the national coronavirus task force as quoted by the Health Ministry's press centre. The fatalities are 72.

The secretary of the national coronavirus task force, Assoc. Prof. Dimo Dimov, told a briefing on Saturday morning that there had been three fatalities in the last 24 hours, one of whom was a doctor from the infectious diseases ward at the multi-profile hospital in Sliven (Southeastern Bulgaria). She is the first healthcare worker to die from COVID-19 in this country,

Eleven COVID-19 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 287, or 18 per cent of all confirmed cases.

A total of 321 patients are in hospital, 40 of whom in intensive care.

As of May 2, the national COVID-19 task force discontinues its regular daily briefings, Government Information Service head Sevdalina Arnaudova said on Saturday, explaining this decision with the conviction that the Bulgarian society is informed enough about all coronavirus-related details, and with the rising criticism that the briefings do more harm than good. The latest COVID-19 information about Bulgaria and the world will now be presented to the public in the form of messages from the task force secretary.

Dimov said that the international scientific community Saturday published three main scenarios for the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of which scenario the pandemic will follow, a significant activity of the coronavirus infection is expected for 18 to 24 months. Therefore, societies and countries need to adapt and find the balance between anti-epidemic measures and recovery of the economy and social life, he argued.

In this relation, Bulgaria is following the trend of gradual liberalization of the restrictive measures, Dimov added, noting that its effect will be analysed in the coming days while simultaneously heading towards further liberalization or return of part of the measures.

RI/DS


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