COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria

COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria
Total number of confirmed infections per 100,000 population by provinces Total number of confirmed infections by provinces
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
Location	Bulgaria
First outbreak	Wuhan, Hubei, China (globally)
Index case	Pleven, Gabrovo
Arrival date	8 March 2020 (3 years, 2 months and 4 days ago)
Confirmed cases	1,101,326
Active cases	211,246
Hospitalized cases	3,172
Critical cases	413
Recovered	854,248
Deaths	35,832
Fatality rate	3.25%
Government website
Coronavirus.bg

The COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Bulgaria when the country's first cases, a 27-year-old man from Pleven and a 75-year-old woman from Gabrovo, were confirmed on 8 March 2020. Neither of the two had traveled to areas with known coronavirus cases which is maybe because the PCR test that was used is defective. The man tested positive for the virus after being hospitalized for a respiratory infection, and authorities announced plans to test several people who were in contact with the two individuals.^[1] Two other samples in Pleven and Gabrovo were positive on 8 March.^[2] Patient zero remains unknown.^[3]

After the number of patients in the country had reached 23, the Bulgarian Parliament voted unanimously to declare a state of emergency from 13 March until 13 April.^[4] A 14-day preventive house quarantine was introduced for citizens who have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient or have returned from an overseas region with a high number of cases. For patients tested positive for the virus a 21-day house quarantine was introduced. This time span is counted from the day a subsequent test comes out negative after they have been treated in a hospital or at home. After the World Health Organization (WHO) has established that COVID-19 is more resilient than the initial data was showing, the National Crisis-management Staff increased the recovery house quarantine by a week to 28 days.^[5] With the continuing increase of COVID-19 cases on a daily basis, the Bulgarian government requested on 1 April that Parliament extend the state of emergency by one month until 13 May.^[6]

As of 5 February 2023, a total of 4,612,386 vaccine doses have been administered.^[7]

Background[edit]

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A National Crisis-management Staff was formed by the Bulgarian government on 5 March to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.^[8] The Government has appointed Major general professor Doctor Vencislav Mutafchiyski as the Chairman of the Staff. MG Prof. Dr. Mutafchiyski is the Director of the Military Medical Academy and the most senior medical officer of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. He is an abdomen (stomach) surgeon and epidemiology is not among his specialties. The MMA combines the military medical services of the country in their entirety with several hospitals in the capital Sofia and around the country. At the same time it is one of the country's leading medical institutions and possesses large medical treatment capacity and know-how. The Staff fulfills a direct operational role in the management of the crisis and its decisions are implemented through executive orders of Bulgaria's Prime Minister and the country's Minister of Health.^{[citation needed]}

On 23 March a separate Medical Council for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic was appointed by the Prime Minister. The council was chaired by Professor Kosta Kostov, a leading pulmonary disease expert. The council's mission was to provide the government with complementary analysis and action proposals and the general public with professional guidance and information. Unlike the National Crisis-management Staff, which is a formal national institution with executive power and tasks, the council had mostly a knowledge-based advisory role.^[9] On 4 April the Medical Council dispersed, having achieved its purpose, according to its chairman.^[10]

Timeline[edit]

February[edit]

Limited border health monitoring was introduced in February 2020.^[11]

March[edit]

8 March[edit]

On 8 March 2020, Bulgaria confirmed its first two cases, a 27-year-old man from Pleven and a 75-year-old woman from Gabrovo. Neither of the two reported having traveled to areas with known coronavirus cases. The man tested positive for the virus after being hospitalized for a respiratory infection, and authorities announced plans to test several people who were in contact with the two individuals.^[1] Two other samples in Pleven and Gabrovo were found positive on 8 March.^[2] Patient zero remains unknown.^[3]

On the same day, the hospital in Gabrovo requested additional personnel from other hospitals in the country, as it only had three communicable diseases specialists. All of its internal medicine specialists have been quarantined after one of the four initial cases was confirmed to be a nurse at the hospital.^[12] The government issued a nationwide ban on closed-door public events.^[13] The origin of the outbreak remains unknown, and the Ministry of Interior is tracking down all individuals who have been in contact with the patients.^[14] As of 8 March 254 suspected cases were under quarantine across the country.^[15]

10 March[edit]