The Healthcare Ministry put today’s report of newly infected coronavirus patients at 999, just under the 1,000 mark. It’s the latest spike in the growing crisis, largely caused by the open-border policy which meant that tens of thousands of emigrants were allowed to spend their summer in Macedonia without even PCR test requirements.

Most of the new cases were registered in the capital Skopje (325) and in the largely Albanian, emigrant region of the Polog valley – Tetovo had 184 new cases and Gostivar 132. The number of active cases rose to 6,734, and of them, Skopje has 2,246 about as many as Tetovo and Gostivar combined. Among other cities, another emigrant areas like Kicevo and Kumanovo, have 422 and 366 cases while Strumica has 285.

The Ministry also informed that 14 patients have died of the infection – they were aged between 57 and 80. Five deaths were reported in Skopje and Tetovo, and two in Gostivar.