Bulgaria’s Health Minister Kostadin Angelov ordered the closure of all high schools, universities and night clubs, and banned spectators at sports events as the number of new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases is surging.
As of October 28, the new cases peaked at 2,569, after rising to 2,243 a day earlier. Hospitals say their staff are already exhausted with some of them reporting that their capacity to treat patients with coronavirus is full.
Angelov ordered high schools and universities to switch to online education for two weeks starting on October 29. Night clubs will also stay closed for at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, chief health inspector Angel Kunchev said that primary schools and kindergartens might also be closed if the situation continues to worsen. However, Kunchev added that, as the younger children need more social contact, this measure would be imposed only if the authorities are forced to impose more containment measures.
Owners of night clubs demanded that the government pay 80% of the wages of their employees during the time of closure, threatening to protest if the demand is not met.
Critics of the government say the situation is now out of control as the authorities failed to prepare adequately for the expected second wave of coronavirus this autumn.
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