Angel Kunchev

We are reporting first steps towards the end of the third wave with very fragile trends for the decline in morbidity, but it is a clear and distinct trend, Health Minister Kostadin announced at a traditional briefing on Thursday. 

Vaccination may become an essential condition for getting a job at certain institutions, State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev said in an interview for Nova TV. He also said he had sent a letter to the minister of labor and social policy asking to launch an awareness campaign on the importance of Covid-19vaccination among social care workers.

Bulgaria is ranked 5th in Europe and 2nd in the Balkans by morbidity, reported State Chief Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev. We are 3th in the EU in mortality after Hungary and the Czech Republic and 1st in the Balkans. Sofia and Silistra have the highest morbidity, as the morbidity of the Balkans is growing, Kunchev added.

Bulgaria will ease some of its measures against the spread of Covid-19 from April 1, Health Minister Kostadin Angelov told a briefing on March 30.

Currently, heightened measures that came into effect on March 22 are due to expire on March 31.

"Although the number of coronavirus patients in hospital is higher than during the previous wave of coronavirus the hospital system is able to handle the surge," Health Minister Kostadin Angelov declared at a working meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev is expecting the peak of coronavirus infections to be reached this or next week.

Bulgaria is already second in coronavirus mortality in the world after Hungary. That's what Head of the National Operational Headquarters Chairman Gen. Ventsislav Mutafchiiski said during the regular weekly briefing at the Council of Ministers.

According to him, our country has surpassed the peak of November 23, 2020, and the infected are now 679 per 100,000.

As of today, March 22, until the end of the month, a third lockdown enters into force across the country in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. In-person classes in schools, nurseries and kindergartens are suspended. Restaurants, malls, cinemas and theaters are closing.

We expect, if not the beginning of a downward trend in new cases occurrence, then at least a plateau. That's what Dr. Angel Kunchev told bTV. This infection showed that there is no threshold, he added. That's why the trend is important.

The final decision to further tighten the measures in Sofia and the rest of the country will be announced at a regular briefing of the National Operational Headquarters on Thursday. The new measures will enter into force most likely on Saturday - for Sofia and for the country - on Monday, said at a briefing Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof.

The Association of Restaurants in Bulgaria (SZB) and the Bulgarian Association of Restaurants (BAZ) are pushing for the introduction of a strict and all-encompassing two-week quarantine. Such a lockdown period is only possible if it applies to absolutely all state institutions, except those of essential necessity, the organizations said.