site.btaCOVID-19 Update: 1,601 New Cases, Test Positivity Rate at 7.1%

SC 15:11:31 26-08-2021
DD1512.104
104 COVID-19 - DAILY - UPDATE-ampl.2

COVID-19 Update:
1,601 New Cases,
Test Positivity Rate at 7.1%


Sofia, August 26 (BTA) - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria reached 446,698, after 22,480 tests identified 1,601 new infections on Wednesday, compared to 1,901 on Tuesday, according to data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/. The test positivity rate now stands at 7.1 per cent.

Sofia City Region tops the list of new cases with 296 positive tests, followed by Plovdiv Region with 163, Burgas with 150 and Varna with 122. Vidin Region had just eight cases.

The active cases are 24,793. Currently, the hospitalized patients number 2,985, including 262 in intensive care.

Another 574 patients have recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 403,292.

Forty-eight fatalities were reported, compared to 33 on Tuesday, and the death toll now adds up to 18,613.

With 13,800 new inoculations over the last 24 hours, 2,256,350 vaccine doses have been administered so far and 1,136,584 people are fully vaccinated.

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Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev said that the fourth COVID wave in Bulgaria would peak in September, but that some regions could see the peak even in late August. Interviewed on Nova TV, he said that while the severity of the Delta variant is milder, more people will be infected as it is highly transmissible.

When the infection rate exceeds 350 per 100,000 across the country, restrictions should be imposed in line with the national plan for epidemic control, which must be linked promptly to business support measures, said Kunchev.

He again stressed the effectiveness of the COVID vaccines by saying that 93.8 per cent of all newly infected people between August 18 and 23 were not vaccinated.

Later in the day, Kunchev said in Veliko Turnovo that the first vaccine doses administered in the last few days were twice as many as the second doses, which is a sign that interest in vaccination is soaring. The required vaccine doses are available.

Kunchev spoke at a meeting of the regional health inspectorates of Veliko Turnovo, Ruse and Turgovishte which discussed the spike in infections and the mounting pressure on hospitals.

Hospitals have staff shortages partly due to the unclear method of payment to health workers dealing with COVID patients, said Kunchev. Some COVID wards also report problems with oxygen and medicine supplies.

Kunchev said his personal opinion is that at this stage COVID vaccines should be compulsory for health professionals and care workers. VE/DD
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