As of 00.00 am on December 21, Bulgaria has introduced a ban on all arrivals from Great Britain and Northern Ireland through all entry points and with all modes of transportation. The ban will be in force from December 21 to January 31, 2021, an order of Bulgaria's Minister of Health issued late last night reads. All flights arriving from the UK have been suspended until January 31. The ban does not apply to Bulgarian citizens and persons with a status of permanent, long-term or continuous residence in Bulgaria and their family members. Upon entry in Bulgaria, they will be subject to a 10-day quarantine.The measure is due to a new coronavirus strain which has been reported to have spread in the UK.

Chairman of Bulgarian Medical Association: New virus strain is not more dangerous

Now is not the time for hysteria or panic and there is no new strain, the chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association, Dr. Ivan Madzharov, told Nova TV. "The virus is changing, and we've known that all year. We now learn about a little more than 17 changed sequences. It is not a new strain. We are yet to see how it will react with the human body", Madzharov added. He pointed out that no drastically more severe course of the disease or higher mortality was reported. The probability that the mutation is already in Bulgaria is high, Dr. Ivan Madzharov added.

Bulgaria reports 166 new cases of Covid-19 for the past 24 hours

Bulgaria has reported 166 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. This is 21% of the 790 PCR tests performed, data of the Single Information Portal show. The smaller number of tests and positive results are expected for a Sunday. The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 191,195 cases. There are currently 84,838 active cases of the infection in Bulgaria. A total of 6,624 people are hospitalized as 536 patients are treated in intensive care units. In the past day, 58 people have died. This brings the total number of Covid-19 fatalities to 6,609. The number of recoveries in the last day are 1,732. With them the number of those who have successfully recovered from Covid-19 reaches 99,758 people.

Bulgarian scientists: healthy people without severe chronic diseases should take Covid-19 vaccines

Healthy people without underlying severe chronic diseases, without symptoms of coronavirus infection and over 16-18 years of age should be vaccinated against Covid-19. This is recommended in a statement of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences on the forthcoming vaccination campaign against the coronavirus. According to scientists, the consultation with the general practitioner before immunization is mandatory. In their words, data so far show that collective immunity against the virus is developed slowly. We will learn how effective vaccines are and how long the immunity lasts no earlier than one year after the beginning of their use, when there will be enough convincing scientific data, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences notes.

Vocalist of popular band P.I.F. has passed away after Covid-19 infection

Dimo Stoyanov, the vocalist of Bulgarian band P.I.F. passed away at the age of 45. The singer had been hospitalized in Sofia with coronavirus infection, his relatives told BNR. On December 9, the band sent a call through Facebook for blood plasma donation because Dimo's condition was serious. A donor was found, but the musician did not recover from the virus. 

Bulgarian authorities bust scheme for fake PCR tests

The first attempt at fraud with negative PCR tests is being investigated in Bulgaria's Ruse. The fake documents were traded for 60 euros, BNT reported. A 34-year-old forger from Ruse issued false documents for negative PCR tests for travelling abroad. The scheme was revealed when a family from Razgrad crossed the Danube bridge, but without the mandatory tests. They were returned and within just an hour they reappeared at the border with already issued documents. This is what made border guards suspicious. It turned out that the fake tests were signed by a pulmonologist, not a laboratory director, and the doctor's signature was fake.

Restaurateurs call on authorities to allow them to work on December 31

The Association of Catering Establishments in Bulgaria has demanded that restaurants be allowed to work only on New Year's Eve, but there is still no response from the authorities. According to the current order, restaurants must remain closed until January 31. A survey of 1,700 members of the Association shows that 51% prefer to work on New Year's Eve. "For us, the situation is out of control because we receive very serious discrimination, while everywhere all major retail outlets are open," Emil Kolarov, chairman of the Association, told BNR's Horizon program. He suggested that unscrupulous restaurant owners would prefer to pay the fine and work on New Year's Eve.

Tourists from Serbia, Greece and Turkey make reservations in Bulgarian ski resorts

During this winter season, Bulgaria will rely on domestic tourism, as well as on tourists from the Balkan countries. This was what Minister of Tourism Mariana Nikolova told journalists in the ski resort of Pamporovo, BTA has reported. Minister Nikolova visited the resort to make sure on the spot that the anti-epidemic measures are being observed. She said reservations for the ski season so far have reached about 30%, as those from the UK were canceled. Nikolova pointed out that Bulgarian ski resorts already have reservations from Serbian, Greek, Turkish and Macedonian tourists. According to her, about 80% of the industry has been saved from bankruptcy, thanks to the support measures taken.

You can find all stories and important publications related to Covid-19 in Bulgaria at our special coverage section in English.

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Compiled by: Yoan Kolev