Croatia reports second coronavirus-related death

(Photo: HINA/ POOL/ CROPIX/)

ZAGREB, March 26 (Hina) – A patient diagnosed with COVID-19 has died in Zagreb’s Fran Mihaljevic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Health Minister Vili Beros said on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the hospital’s head, Alemka Markotic, said that one of the patients on ventilators was in a critical condition.

On Wednesday, Beros confirmed Croatia’s first coronavirus-related death, an elderly man who was placed in self-isolation at his home in Istria that died last week.

Thirty-nine new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Croatia today, bringing the total to 481, which includes two police officers. A total of 3,958 samples have been tested, with 566 tests being done yesterday.

It was reported this morning that 14 patients were on ventilators – eight in Zagreb, three in Osijek, and one in Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik.

Beros: Tests do not prevent spread of epidemic

Health Minister reiterated that testing could not replace responsible behaviour needed to stop the spread of the epidemic. “Testing is not a method that can safely stop the spread of the epidemic,” he said.

As for the elderly man who died from the coronavirus in Istria, he said that his clinical picture had not been severe, that they were still looking into the case, and that according to current information the family had declined the recommendation that he be hospitalised.

Beros also commented on the state in the hospitals. He said that at Zagreb’s Sisters of Charity Hospital all doctors, nurses and patients who had been in contact with the infected persons in the intensive care unit had tested negative and that unit was still working at its full capacity.

Capak: Current capacity thousand tests a day

In the healthcare system 19 medical specialists have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, as well as six residents, seven nurses and two dentists, said Krunoslav Capak, the head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

The average age of patients in Croatia is 49, over 18,000 people are in self-isolation, 2,437 contacts are being closely monitored, and more than 500 healthcare professionals are in self-isolation.

Capak said that there were enough tests and that their current capacity was a thousand tests a day. “We will do as many tests as will be necessary,” he said.