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Bulgaria to extend coronavirus state of emergency until mid-July

24 June 2020 14:50 (UTC +04:00)

Bulgaria will extend a state of emergency declared in response to the coronavirus outbreak until July 15 after another jump in new registered cases, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev said on Wednesday, APA reports citing Reuters.

Bulgaria began to relax restrictions to stop the spread of the virus earlier this month, but last week it reported 606 new COVID-19 cases, its highest weekly rise since the epidemic.

Some 130 new cases were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total to date to 4,114, with 208 deaths. The latest jump prompted Ananiev’s decision to reimpose the mask requirement at all indoor public venues, including trains and buses.

“We have an increase of the intensity of the epidemic and an increase of coronavirus spread,” Ananiev told a government meeting.