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Corona in Croatia: Numbers are falling sharply, but that could be deceptive - vacationers leave in heaps

2020-08-18T12:43:33.180Z


New corona infections in Croatia are rising to a peak. Neighbor Slovenia reacts to the Covid 19 pandemic, there are consequences for German vacationers.


New corona infections in Croatia are rising to a peak. Neighbor Slovenia reacts to the Covid 19 pandemic, there are consequences for German vacationers.

  • Coronavirus : The number of corona cases * is lower in Croatia than in the rest of the Balkans.
  • Nevertheless, neighbor Slovenia is now classifying the holiday destination of many German tourists in the coronavirus pandemic * as riskier - Croatia reports a high level of new infections (update from August 14, 2:19 p.m.).
  • Vacation in Croatia : travelers have to expect longer waiting times at the Croatian-Slovenian border. There is also a threat of a travel warning for the country from Germany, which Austria is implementing.

Update August 18, 10:05: The coronavirus appeared the popular holiday destination Croatia initially no problems to prepare whole six weeks showed the country only about one to two new infections daily. But just in time for the holiday season, the virus returned to the country in mid-June, and since then Croatia has recorded dozens of new infections every day . While a provisional high point was reached on July 11 with around 140 new infections per day, Croatia even recorded over 200 officially newly reported infections with the coronavirus on August 14 . After 162 new infections on Saturday and 151 new infections on Sunday, Croatia now reports 85 new infections on Monday. However, it is unclear whether all authorities will report the numbers over the weekend. In Germany, for example, this factor repeatedly leads to deceptive case numbers at the beginning of a week.

While the coronavirus is spreading in the world and some countries have already been declared risk areas, a party image that has now appeared causes horror.

Corona in Croatia: Austrian vacationers on their way home - but some of them are apparently tricking

Update from August 18, 9:15 a.m.: While the corona virus is spreading more widely in many European countries, individual countries are now trying to curb the increased spread caused by returning travelers. After Austria issued a travel warning for the popular holiday destination Croatia , many locals are leaving the holiday destination. However, when entering Austria, holidaymakers from the affected Balkan areas must be able to show a negative corona test . Alternatively, those returning to travel have to go to quarantine in their home country Austria .

But as the Austrian portal oe24.de now reports, the controls at the border with Austria are also intended to provide loopholes for people who want to evade consistent action by the Austrian authorities . As the portal further reports, there are even methods that are currently making the rounds to “trick the system”.

For example, there are only random checks at the border in Arnoldstein; according to oe24.de, a return trip via Trieste would be worthwhile if a check with subsequent quarantine was to be prevented. “We drove home from Tries to Carinthia with very mixed feelings . And what happens at the border? Nothing, no traffic jams, because there is simply no control here. ”“, The portal quotes a returnee.

Other objectors to the controls would drive through Hungary . Since no travel warning has been issued for this country , returnees from Hungary do not have to be checked at the border with Austria. As oe24.de further reports, in many cases it is also successful to simply keep silent about a stay in Croatia. According to this, some returnees merely stated that they only went on vacation in Slovenia.

However, as the portal continues to report, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wants to consult with two ministers on Tuesday about better controls.

Corona in Croatia: Austria reacts to a significant increase in numbers

Update from August 17th, 8:27 pm: Austria has issued a travel warning for the popular holiday destination Croatia. The Robert Koch Institute, which defines corona risk areas in cooperation with the federal government, has not yet issued a warning against a trip to the Balkan state.

The official Corona website of the Croatian government shows that 85 new infections were reported on August 17th. From the values ​​of the infected (6,656), recovered (5,254) and deceased (166) it can be calculated that 1,236 people are currently actively suffering from the coronavirus. The capital Zagreb is particularly affected with 337 active cases and the coastal region Split-Dalmatia with 289 currently infected.

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Active corona cases in Croatia: Zagreb and Split-Dalmatia are hotspots.

© Screenshot: Koronavirus.hr

Update from August 17th, 10.19 a.m .: Many Austrians are on their way home from Croatia. As oe24.at headlines, there are even “40,000 vacationers fleeing Croatia”. Long traffic jams had already formed at the borders with Austria on Sunday. The travel warning for Croatia has been in effect since midnight. Several Austrian media reported that hundreds of people returning from traveling would not have made it across the border in time before this time. Despite the chaos of traffic jams, there was no transitional regulation for 350 travelers returning . If you cannot show a negative corona test, you must now submit a form and go into quarantine in accordance with Austrian regulations . The travelers then have 48 hours to submit a PCR test. Violation threatens, according to the Austrian tabloid portal krone.at, a fine of up to 1450 euros.

Coronavirus: Bar in Croatia the "new Ischgl of Europe"?

The number of new infections in Austria has increased significantly in the past few days. The health authorities are currently reporting 164 new corona cases in the past 24 hours. According to the authorities, a predominant part of this is related to returning travelers. One bar in Makarska , Croatia, is suspected of being a Corona hotspot ( see also update from August 14th, 9:15 am ): the "Makarana Bar". Corona infections in Austria, Germany and Switzerland apparently go back to the " Makarana-Bar " - meanwhile already "Corona-Bar" or the "new Ischgl of Europe". The waiters infected holidaymakers, it is said. New cases are becoming known. A young woman from Carinthia is said to have been infected in the bar while on vacation in Croatia, reports oe24.at. The woman was with her sister and friends on a beach holiday in Croatia and also in the "Makarana bar". The group went into home quarantine in Austria.

Update from August 16, 6.30 p.m.: In Croatia there is far less extensive testing than in neighboring countries. That comes from the surveys of Worldometer - a data network on which the Johns Hopkins University is supposed to rely. Accordingly, in the country from which many holidaymakers return to Germany , 33,559 tests are carried out for a million inhabitants.

That is a big difference to some neighboring countries like Serbia (91,381), Slovenia (68,926) or Montenegro (66,793). Other countries bordering Croatia such as Bosnia-Herzegovina (49,105) or Hungary (39,205) also test relatively more frequently. According to these statistics, Germany stands at 110,542 tests per million inhabitants .

Update from August 16, 3:13 p.m .: From Monday (August 17), travel warnings for Croatia will apply in Austria . As a result, the cars of returning travelers are now jammed at the borders. According to the figures from Johns Hopkins University, there are currently 6571 cases of infection in Croatia. 166 people have so far died as a result of a coronavirus infection . 5220 people are considered recovered.

The corona numbers in Italy have also risen. The country immediately took drastic measures.

Corona in Croatia: numbers at a new high - Austria reacts - consequences for German returnees

Update from August 15, 6:45 p.m .: In Austria, a travel warning will apply to Croatia from Monday, August 17 . The Balkan state reported a record number of new coronavirus infections on Thursday .

A total of 180 people were infected with COVID-19 within 24 hours , as the national crisis team in Zagreb announced. Croatia has not had a higher daily value since the beginning of the pandemic in February. However, the number is still low in Europe-wide comparison, soothed Romeo Draghicchio, the director of the Croatian tourist office, opposite the picture . Most of the infections would therefore have occurred in connection with parties . Therefore, clubs and similar establishments should only be open until midnight .

The country, which is very popular among German tourists, may now be threatened with a travel warning from Berlin. For as in neighboring Austria was alsoin Germany, a rapidly increasing number of vacationers returning from Croatia who have contracted the virus there. This is reported by the picture.

But according to ADAC, there are already consequences for German vacationers because of the travel warning from Austria . German vacationers who want to cross Austria by car from Croatia to Germany will no longer be allowed to make a stopover from Monday . However, German tourists who use Austria from Croatia as a transit country do not have to submit a negative Corona test, as the ADAC confirmed to the Ippen-Digital-Zentralredaktion. Stopping to refuel in Austria is therefore still allowed.

In many countries in Europe, fear of the corona numbers rising again is growing. A politician is now warning of new infection hotspots - the danger is "very real".

Corona in Croatia: Overcrowded bar in holiday resort is developing into a hotspot - numbers rise to a new high

Update from August 15, 2:06 p.m .: Those returning from Croatia now have to be prepared for stricter controls at the Austrian border: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz warns urgently of an increase in cases brought in from Croatia and therefore wants to tighten border controls.

Anyone who cannot present a negative coronavirus test that is not more than 78 hours old must go into quarantine. For German vacationers, this also means: You are not allowed to leave the car when driving through. Kurz does not rule out direct tests at the borders.

Attention ❗️ Travel
warning for Croatia 🇭🇷 from August 17th!

Due to the epidemiological developments in Croatia, the highest security level is pronounced for the entire country.⁰⁰ More information: https://t.co/08t9EVoERn pic.twitter.com/wNoElnwXyr

- MFA Austria (@MFA_Austria) August 14, 2020

For those returning from Spain, the situation looks different: Since a travel warning has been in effect for Spain, returnees have had to take a compulsory test - or be in quarantine. This is a shock for the holiday island of Mallorca.

Coronavirus in Croatia: 208 new infections - the all-time high since the beginning of the pandemic

Update from August 14, 2:19 p.m.: With 208 new infections in the last 24 hours , Croatia has once again exceeded yesterday's record of 180. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this is the highest level of all infections measured in one day.

There are currently 961 corona cases in the holiday country on the Mediterranean . The rising numbers are also worrying other countries, as many holiday returnees bring the virus home with them. Austria therefore issued a travel warning for all of Croatia on Friday .

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Corona numbers are rising in Croatia.

© Gregor Mayer / dpa

Corona in Croatia: Overcrowded bar becomes a virus hotspot

Update from August 14, 9:15 a.m .: Croatia vacationers make up part of the new corona infections in Germany, but also in Austria. The number of infected travelers returning from the Balkans is increasing. Tyrol is now bringing a travel warning for Croatia into play, reports ORF.at. A travel warning with security level six is ​​"worth discussing due to the current information," said Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) in an interview. The alarm bells are ringing in Switzerland too . A place in the Croatian Makarska seems to be a real hotspot. As Blick.ch reports, vacationers got infected in the Makarana bar .

Readers told the online portal that the bar was totally overcrowded. Swiss, Germans and Austrians celebrated in the bar . “We had almost no space. People sweated like crazy, "Blick.ch quoted a reader. Five Swiss have been infected in the bar, but also seven vacationers from Hamburg. Is this bar the new Corona hotspot in Europe? The bar in the heart of Makarska has already drawn drastic consequences, the bar is closed. "The doors are closed until further notice," says a recent Instagram post. You can read about other “epidemiological measures” and prescribed “blocking times from 24” there. Keywords such as corona cases, coronavirus or Covid-19 are missing.

Check out this post on Instagram

A post shared by Makarana Bar (@makarana_bar) on Aug 13, 2020 at 11:19 am PDT

Corona in Croatia - holiday country reports record numbers

Update from August 13, 10:59 p.m .: With 180 new infections, the holiday country Croatia has reported the highest level of all infections measured in one day since the beginning of the pandemic . And that in the middle of vacation time.

Contrary to what the Croatian Tourism Association had expected before the season started, the number of bookings had not fallen by up to 80 percent, but only by up to 55 percent. Those who tested positive for the coronavirus in Germany and in Croatia's neighboring country Slovenia said they had been to beach parties .

Update from August 13, 2:20 p.m .: " Croatia is becoming a recognizable hotspot." Says a spokesman for the city of Stuttgart with a view to the Corona situation in the Balkan country. An assessment from Baden-Württemberg on the situation on the Adriatic? 24 party holidaymakers from the Stuttgart area had returned with coronavirus infections from Novalja on the Croatian island of Pag.

Corona in Croatia: number of coronavirus cases is increasing - party vacationers have Covid-19

As early as July, a video that n-tv.de played showed that Covid-19 protective measures on the well-known party beach Zrce are allegedly only being observed to a limited extent or not at all. Not only in Germany, Croatia is now coming into focus due to rising corona numbers .

According to oe24.at, more corona cases of people returning from Croatia have become known in Austria in recent weeks . "My colleague from Vorarlberg told me that 80 percent of all cases in his federal state can be traced back to those who have returned home," said Vienna's State Health Councilor Peter Hacker.

According to oe24.at , Croatia recently reported 130 new infections with the Sars-CoV-2 pathogen in one day, in July there were meanwhile 20 to 40 new corona cases daily, according to the Croatian National Tourist Board.

Corona pandemic in Croatia: Zagreb and Split-Dalmatia as Covid-19 priorities

First report from August 10th: 618 active corona cases *. That doesn't sound like a lot at first, not even for a country like Croatia (a little more than four million inhabitants). The figures mentioned for the coronavirus pandemic * are from Monday, August 10th.

According to the Croatian Institute for Public Health, there have been 5740 officially registered Covid 19 infections between Dalmatia and Istria during the Corona crisis . And yet, the country, which is popular with German tourists, is looked very carefully during the high season of summer vacation in coronavirus times.

Vacation in Croatia: The number of corona cases is increasing again

The result: In its travel and security information, as of August 11, the Federal Foreign Office has recorded, unchanged since July 27, that the number of Covid-19 infections in Croatia was low for several weeks, but has "recently increased sharply" and have achieved values ​​"which are on average above those of spring". 

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At a glance: the Corona cases in Croatia.

© Screenshot koronavirus.hr

Regional focal points are and were "the capital and the surrounding area of ​​Zagreb, Slavonia and the Split-Dalmatia County ". The Croatian National Tourist Board recently appeased * Merkur.de , referring to falling corona numbers and between "20 to 40 new cases" daily.

Vacation in Croatia: More Covid-19 infections are counted - especially in Zagreb and Split-Dalmatia

But: The Covid-19 infections are apparently increasing again. According to information from the authorities, 91 new cases were counted in the 24 hours prior to Monday (August 10th), 2 p.m.

Accordingly, there were 143 corona cases in total around Zagreb, and 142 around Split in the popular holiday region of Dalmatia . Among other things, it recently became known that several German schoolchildren are suspected of being infected with the Sars-CoV-2 virus while on a school-leaving trip to Croatia had.

All of this has consequences. As the Südwest Presse reports, Slovenia has now removed neighbor Croatia from the list of safe countries and put it on a "yellow list". This means that German holidaymakers have to expect stricter controls at the border between the two Balkan countries and thus longer waiting times.

Corona in Croatia: According to the federal government, no Covid 19 risk area

In contrast to many other countries and regions, such as Catalonia in Spain, the Federal Foreign Office has not declared Croatia a corona risk area so far .

Many German holidaymakers can only hope that it will stay that way.

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Pearl on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia: the port city of Split.

© dpa

Meanwhile, eight German tourists are stuck in a small hut after positive corona tests. You can find the latest news on the subject of coronavirus in Germany in our current news ticker. The requirements for returnees to Germany also seem to be easy to circumvent in some places. Great Britain has declared France a risk area. Thousands of tourists tried to get back home as soon as possible. (pm) * Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network

List of rubric lists: © Clara Margais / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-08-18

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