| COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria | |
|---|---|
| |
| 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]
- ^ "Bulgaria, Moldova Report First Coronavirus Cases". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Проф. Тодор Кантарджиев: От Плевен имаме две положителни проби за коронавирус, от Габрово също" (in Bulgarian). 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Официално: Има четири потвърдени случая на коронавирус в България". 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "НС прие с пълно единодушие обявяването на извънредно положение в цялата страна – По света и у нас". news.bnt.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "28-дневна карантина за заразени с коронавирус – България". dariknews.bg (in Bulgarian). 27 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Коронавирус: В България удължават извънредното положение" (in Bulgarian). Deutsche Welle. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Bulgaria: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data". covid19.who.int. Retrieved 28 February 2023.