Bulgarian PM refuses to lockdown despite record COVID cases

SOFIA -- The Bulgarian Health Ministry on Wednesday morning reported a record high of 4,390 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, taking the national tally to 83,366.

The previous daily record of 4,054 new cases was reported on Nov. 5.

Unlike many other European countries, the Bulgarian government still has no intention to introduce a lockdown despite the rise of COVID-19 cases and deaths, which has been particularly strong in the last five weeks.

"We will not close the country," Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on his Facebook page last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the country's COVID-19 death toll has reached 1,851 after 80 more patients died in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

It also reported that 4,176 patients are currently hospitalized, with 280 in intensive care, while the number of infected medical workers has reached 3,278.

The ministry added that 516 patients have recovered in the past 24 hours, raising the country's total recoveries to 25,799.

The figures also showed that 11,068 tests were carried out Tuesday, bringing the total number of tests to 815,322.