Red zones in Bulgaria increase as Covid-19 cases surge

The critical red zones of the Covid-19 spread in the country are increasing. They are already 18, including Bourgas, Varna, Plovdiv.

Last week, six districts were in the red category with morbidity of more than 120 people per 100,000 population.

There are 8 in the orange zone. No area is in the safe green zone anymore. Vidin was the only area in the green zone, but due to rise in the number of infected people, it is now in the yellow zone.

The critical "red areas" on the map of the country are increasing.

Smolyan, Kyustendil and Razgrad are the latest to join the "red zone" of COVID-19 spread.

From tomorrow, October 28, Rousse and Smolyan, close all nightclubs, bars, discos and clubs. Mass outdoor and indoor events are also banned. It is recommended that family events, such as indoor weddings and baptisms, be limited to 30 guests.

Blagoevgrad district continues to be in the "red zone" in terms of the number of newly infected with COVID-19. Only for the past day the number of new cases is 130. Again the most cases are in the district centre - 56.

The number of positive coronavirus cases in Sofia-city, Gabrovo, Shoumen and Sliven is already worrying.

Sofia has permanently entered the "red zone" in terms of morbidity. A record number of 913 infections was reported today, October 27, almost twice as many as on the other days, when there had been an extremely high number of new single-day cases.

That is why the Municipal Operational Headquarters announced that they are increasing the teams that control the obligatory wearing of masks. Yesterday, Sofia Municipality formed a Medical Expert Council.

We can't pretend that nothing is happening in Sofia. It's increasing in Sofia, Sofia is permanently in the 'red zone, said Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

The spread of the infection in the capital is already diffuse - this means that the virus is not limited to custers and it is difficult to trace who became infected and how. A few days ago, the Sofia Health Inspectorate announced that it could not track the contact persons. Yesterday the Sofia Municipality decided that the measures on the market places should be like indoors – all are required to wear masks, to keep a distance and not to mix the flows.

"The measures in Sofia are still not strict enough, but it depends on all of us what they will continue to be," Fandakova added.

Increased control in public transport, shopping areas, and in the gathering of people in the open - this was announced hours ago by the municipal operational headquarters. The Medical Council is already advising the municipality on the adequacy of the measures.

"It is quite difficult to convince people that they have to comply with the measures, they almost accept that we are trying to inflict some kind of harassment on them," said Nikolai Popov, executive director of Pazari Yug EAD (Markets South).

On Sunday, Sofia municipality closed nightclubs for two weeks in an attempt to reduce the spread of the infection. However, the forecasts for the development of the epidemic in the capital at this stage are still very worrying.