ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 – The head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, said on Monday that the latest figures showing 25 COVID positive cases as against threefold higher numbers in the previous days were the result of the mandatory use of face masks.
In the last 24 hours, of 1,028 COVID-19 tests performed in Croatia, 25 have returned positive, the country’s coronavirus crisis management team stated on Monday. Currently, there are 1,150 active cases, 57 fewer than the day before.
By comparison, there were 92 new cases on Sunday and 116 on Saturday.
Asked by the press about the decision by Lithuania to place Croatia on the red list of epidemiologically unsafe countries, which means that people travelling to the Baltic country from Croatia would have to self-isolate for 14 days, Capak said that the European Commission had recommended the opening of borders and imposition of criteria for free passage in accordance with epidemiological situations.
The criterion is that there are no more than 16 new patients per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 14 consecutive days.
Some countries have introduced stricter measures and some have applied milder measures, he explained, adding that it might be that Croatia has exceeded the 14-day incidence which was why Lithuania placed Croatia on the red list.
Capak said that new recommendations for organising cultural events could be announced on Tuesday.
Health Minister Vili Beros said that cheaper prices for COVID-19 tests, when taken by individuals on their own, could be expected later this week after the Croatian Health Insurance Agency (HZZO) approved lower prices last Friday, whereby they were halved to HRK 500-700 per test.
