Head of regional health inspectorate in Bulgaria’s capital resigns

Bulgaria’s Health Minister Kostadin Angelov accepted the resignation of Dr Dancho Penchev as head of the Sofia regional health inspectorate on October 26, the Health Ministry said.

The brief statement said that Penchev had submitted his resignation after a conversation with Angelov. It did not say why Penchev had resigned.

Penchev has been criticised in recent days for lifting the quarantines of President Roumen Radev and Prime Minister Boiko Borissov.

Radev had been meant to be in quarantine because he was a contact person with the head of Bulgaria’s Air Force, who had tested positive for Covid-19. Borissov went into quarantine on Friday after Deputy Regional Development Minister Nikolai Nankov, with whom Borissov had been in contact, tested positive.

Penchev said at the weekend that Radev and Borissov both had two consecutive negative tests after the incubation period, which showed that they were not infected.

On Sunday, Borissov announced on Facebook that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Among those quarantined as contact persons are Angelov and Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector, Associate Professor Angel Kunchev.

On October 26, Angelov posted on Facebook that he had tested negative for Covid-19.

Angelov said that he would remain for 10 days in the quarantine that began on October 23, and would undergo his next PCR test on October 23.

(Screenshot of Penchev: BNT)

The Sofia Globe’s coverage of the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland.

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