Bulgaria registers new record high COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria are just shy of 1100 – 1097 - as the coronavirus response team announced a record-high increase over the past 24 hours with 66 newly discovered cases. 16 more emerged over the course of the day.

Coronavirus infections among medial professionals have seen a rapid increase with cases reaching 85 to date. Less than a week ago 48 medical workers were confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus.

Eight of the new cases over the past 24 hours – or half of all new confirmed cases – are from the hospital in Vidin.

It was reported earlier that the disease had spreаd from there to a nearby home for the elderly where three cases were discovered earlier today. 26 elderly reside in the home, which is staffed by 16 workers. The home is put under quarantine.  

Meanwhile the local medical inspectorate is continuing mass testing in the two neighborhoods in the capital Sofia with predominantly Roma population. The measures in these areas are extra severe: full lockdown was imposed last week following the discovery of coronavirus positive cases there. Although the spread of the infection is no more severe as in other parts of the city, special measures were nonetheless enforced.

200 tests were made in these neighbourhoods over the past 24 hours. Additional 700 are being prepared to be made in the next days. According to the head of Sofia’s health inspectorate Dancho Penchev M.D., "there definitely are positive cases" among the 200 from the past day.

It is highly unlikely the share is significantly higher than other parts of the city, especially given the fact that mass testing is not applied anywhere else in Sofia. However, loosening measures is out of the question, officials say.

270 patients with COVID-19 have been hospitalized in Bulgaria. 37 of those are in ICUs. 52 people with a confirmed coronavirus infection have died since the first four cases were discovered on March 8.