Minister Beroš: 94% of those hospitalized last month were not vaccinated

In Croatia, there were 18 new cases of coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours and two more people have died. The number of new cases on the coast is growing, especially in recent days in Split-Dalmatia and Zadar counties.

The Ministry of Health and the Croatian Institute of Public Health has intensified the campaign to vaccinate citizens against covid-19 with a series of video messages by celebrities on social networks. The goal is to encourage people to get vaccinated, because according to the latest data published on Twitter by Minister of Health, Vili Beroš, 579 citizens ended up in hospital last month because of Covid-19, of which 94% were not vaccinated.

The increase in the number of new cases in Split-Dalmatia County worries the head of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Split, Ivo Ivić.

“It is evident that we are again entering into a phase of increased infection, and that means pressure on hospitals. I don't know how intense it will be, but considering the poor level of vaccination of the older population, I have reason to be concerned,” said Ivić.

Ivić is also concerned about increased arrivals of British tourists to our coast after England lifted restrictions.

“They will come and live freely. I am also concerned because our youth is living freely and they are the ones that will spread infection,” said Ivić.

Meanwhile, musicians are warning of double standards, as some concerts are being canceled and other events are not. Musicians recently gathered in large numbers to raise their voices against a decision by the Civil Protection Headquarters, which requires unvaccinated audiences to come to concerts by paying for mandatory antigen tests, and not maintaining a distance between people wearing masks, as was the case until recently. As a result, some organizers were forced to postpone performances for next year. People were tested at the entrance for the Marko Perković Thompson concert in Sinj, and other big concerts have been announced.

“That concert isn't the only one, there are many other events. It is evident that controls are not good; people are cheating and are not being controlled. We fool ourselves that we will make more money, but that will truly last so shortly that the damage will be several times bigger,” commented Split epidemiologist Ivo Ivić.

Police have reported that from the beginning of the year to the middle of July, over 700 counterfeit PCR tests were uncovered, mostly in the area of the police administrations in Vukovar-Srijem, Brod-Posavina, Istria and Split-Dalmatia counties.

Among the foreigners who forged tests are citizens from 16 surrounding and EU countries, but also Croatian citizens, in order to enter the country or to have their self-isolation measure lifted. Some of the detained foreigners admitted to police that they found a negative PCR test on the Internet and then tried to falsify the data on it.

In Croatia, a forged PCR test will result in criminal charges.

Source: HRT