Bulgaria Reports First Coronavirus Death

Bulgaria reported its first COVID-19 fatality. A 66-year-old woman succumbed to the virus in Sofia on Wednesday a day after she was admitted to the Pirogov Emergency Hospital in an extremely serious conditions and tested positive for the infection, the Health Ministry said in a press release. The patient had a record of heart problems and had undergone heart surgery.

The Military Medical Academy (MMA) Chief, Major General Prof. Ventsislav Moutafchiiski MD, who heads the national coronavirus task force, told a news briefing on Wednesday morning said that as of Tuesday evening, Bulgaria had six coronavirus cases: two each in Gabrovo, Pleven and Sofia.

Moutafchiiski said that the hospitals will remain open, but some of the wards will be transformed into facilities to handle new COVID-19 infections.

The first shipment of protective clothing from Turkey has arrived in Bulgaria and is to be distributed among medical staff nationwide. Moutafchiiski said that new shipments are expected, adding that all medical staff will be protected.

Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova told a separate news briefing that Sofia City Hall expects to hear the latest measures for containment of the coronavirus spread from the national task
force. Fandakova said the authorities are following the instructions of the national task force.

Disinfection continues in the capital's public transport. Other measures are in place as well.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said that, effective at 8 pm on March 9, the Israeli Government had imposed restrictions on all people entering the country. The Ministry advises Bulgarians against travelling to and out of Israel.  

The President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Academician Julian Revalski, has formed a working group of specialists to assist the Council of Ministers and the national
coronavirus task force. The working group is headed by the Director of the Academy's Institute of Microbiology, Assoc. Prof. Dr Penka Petrova, the BAS said in a press release.

The Border Police General Directorate has been informed by the border authorities of North Macedonia that, in an effort to contain the COVID epidemic, arrivals from Italy, China, South
Korea, Iran, France and Germany will be limited to crossing the border with Bulgaria at Gyueshevo Bair, where they can be subjected to additional checkups by medical specialists. The measure applies to all travellers regardless of their citizenship, the Border Police said.

Source: BTA