Bulgaria reaches 800 COVID-19 confirmed cases in the wake of Easter holidays

Bulgaria registered record high new COVID-19 cases over a span of 24 hours. In the last couple of days, the country has seen a relative rise in new cases. April 14 came to 28 cases, which was hardly a record but did register a high increase compared to days prior. Yesterday the coronavirus crisis response team announced it had confirmed 40 new infections. This was only the second time 40 new cases had emerged over a course of a day. Today marked a record with 48 registered cases.

The response team have mostly blamed the good weather over the past weeks and Palm Sunday for the spike. It likely compelled many to loosen social distancing practices. With Orthodox Easter coming this Sunday, the concern still stands.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has proved very unfazed by the spread of the virus and it coinciding with central Christian holidays. It agreed to take minimum measures but at the same time downplayed the threat. Reports emerged which showed Burgas priests giving communion from the same spoon to believers.

The coronavirus crisis response team and government officials have maintained the peak of the virus spread in Bulgaria is expected late April or early May. The state of emergency in the country was extended last till May 13, for now, but there is no telling if it won’t receive another extension, especially of the virus peaks at about that time.

Meanwhile, following the government’s announcement on March 27 it will begin mass testing ‘late April or early May’, Health Minister Kiril Ananliev announced this Tuesday mass testing will finally commence.