Sliven, Haskovo districts become latest in Bulgaria to declare flu epidemics
The districts of Sliven and Haskovo have become the latest in Bulgaria to declare an influenza epidemic since the beginning of last week, bringing the total to 14.
Schools in Sliven will be closed from January 23 to 27 and in Haskovo from January 23 to 28.
Education Minister Krassimir Vulchev said on January 22 that a total of 1070 schools and kindergartens in Bulgaria were closed, a quarter of the total.
Flu epidemic declarations in Varna and Sofia district (not the city) came into force on January 22. The day before, a flu epidemic was declared in the Dobrich district.
Schools in Plovdiv are closed until January 25.
In Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia, by January 22 the rate of flu infections had reached about 75 per cent of the threshold at which a flu epidemic must be declared.
Districts where flu epidemic declarations were in force as at January 22 included Silistra, Shoumen, Bourgas, Yambol, Stara Zagora, Pernik, Pazardzhik and Smolyan.
(Photo: Iwan Beijes)
