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Coronavirus pandemic

Serbia’s coronavirus death toll rises to 58, 2,200 infections reported

According to the national health ministry, an influx of cases among medical workers was registered

BELGRADE, April 6. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Serbia has risen by 292 in the past 24 hours to bring the total to 2,200, while 58 fatalities have been recorded overall, the national health ministry said Monday.

Seven people died overnight, 868 people were tested for coronavirus with 292 tests coming back positive. Currently, 1,197 patients have been hospitalized, with 101 patients relying on ventilators to breath. Sunday’s figures showed 1,908 infections and 51 deaths.

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According to the ministry, an influx of cases among medical workers was registered. Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic reported a large number of coronavirus cases among the military personnel who ensured state of emergency is in effect by controlling borders and hospitals. The interior ministry, meanwhile, said first deaths were reported in the police ranks.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also announced full shut down of borders. A state of emergency and a curfew were introduced in the country for 90 days. General elections were called off, while intercity busses and trains were cancelled.

Earlier, Serbia’s government asked Russia’s assistance in fighting against the novel coronavirus. Belgrade asked for concrete assistance under the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in emergency and humanitarian response. Commenting on Belgrade’s request, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov pledged that "a request from such an important, allied, brotherly country as Serbia will not stay unanswered." On April 3-4, the Russian air force jets transferred 87 Russian military specialists to Serbia including doctors, virologists of radiation, chemical and biological forces as well as special medical equipment, PPE and 16 units of military vehicles. The Russian medical brigades are planned to be deployed across the country.

In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. To date, approximately 1,300,000 people have been infected worldwide and roughly 70,000 deaths have been reported. That said, over 265,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.

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