site.btaEpidemic Emergency Extended until August 31

Sofia, July 28 (BTA) - The Bulgarian government decided here on
Wednesday to extend the epidemic emergency by another month
until August 31, the caretaker Cabinet's press service reported.
 

According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, the total
number of COVID-19 cases across the world exceeds 190 million,
while over 4 million people have died. The number of new cases
reported in the week of July 12-18 is over 3.4 million, which is
 a 12 per cent increase compared to the previous week. Given the
 pandemic's current growth rate, the total number of cases is
expected to exceed 200 million in the next three weeks.

As of July 20, 2021, globally Bulgaria ranks 7th in terms of
cumulative COVID-19 mortality and 67th in terms of 14-day
mortality. A drop in morbidity is observed across all age
groups, but an increase in 14-day morbidity is observed among
people under 39 and those over 90.

As of July 18, 2021, only 18.1 per cent of the population was
reported to have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines,
while 16.2 per cent have completed the full vaccination course,
meaning that Bulgaria ranks last among EU/EEA countries, the
press release said.

The decrease in reported new cases must be maintained, while the
 healthcare and public health systems must prepare to respond to
 a possible new pandemic wave. The strict enforcement of safety
requirements and introduction of restrictions for people
entering this country will help reduce the likelihood of new
variants of the virus spreading in Bulgaria, the government
argues.

It also says that vaccination is the main antiepidemic measure
in the fight against infectious diseases, which is why awareness
 should be increased among people of all age and social groups
about the benefits of vaccination and how it would allow them to
 protect their loved ones from COVID-19. NV/MY