ZAGREB, 16 March 2020 – The National Civil Protection Authority has held its regular daily morning press conference on Monday morning to update the public about the coronavirus outbreak.

Seven new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed overnight in Croatia, including a doctor from the Zagreb University Hospital, bringing the total number to 56.

The new cases were confirmed in Zagreb (5), Rijeka (1) and Karlovac (1). There are now confirmed coronavirus cases in the cities of Zagreb, Pula, Umag, Porec, Rijeka, Varazdin, Osijek, Karlovac and Sisak. There have been no deaths yet in Croatia.

Around 9,000 people were now in self-isolation.

Krunoslav Capak from the National Civil Protection Authority also confirmed that a third patient had now completely recovered from the virus in Croatia and was released to go home.

Minister of Health Vili Beros said Croatia had now entered into the third phase in the fight against the coronavirus and thanked citizens for following instructions and new measures which have been implemented.

All classes primary and secondary schools, and universities in Croatia closed from today for two weeks with classes continuing online and via television, whilst all restaurants, cafes, bars, hairdressers and other services with close customer contact shut down for one month in Istria starting yesterday.

Capak said it was important to maintain a balance between a good epidemiological situation and the severity and breadth of the measures.

“It wouldn’t be good if we closed everything, life would stop and things couldn’t work. We, epidemiologists, have to propose to the Headquarters and the Government on a daily basis the measures that we think are a priority,” Capak said.

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