Macedonia suffered its worst daily death toll of the coronavirus epidemic as eleven patients died in the past 24 hours. The Healthcare Ministry reported that 185 patients were newly diagnosed, and the two hospitals on the front line remain full with 234 patients.

Eight of the deceased patients are from Skopje. The capital remains hardest hit by the Second Wave of the epidemic, that began due to mass violations of the social distancing rules during the Muslim month of Ramadan. The remaining three deaths were patients from Kumanovo, Tetovo and Stip. The youngest patient was aged 53 and the oldest – 78. The total death toll of the epidemic now stands at 233.

Skopje’s 8th of September hospital admitted 20 new patients whose condition required hospitalization. The hospital now treats 133 patients – five of them on mechanical ventilation. There are additional 101 patients in the Infectious Diseases Clinic. Hospitals in Bitola and Stip also treat several dozen patients each, and there are a total of 79 Covid-19 patients treated in the hospitals in Tetovo, Ohrid, Veles, Kumanovo and Prilep.

The 185 newly diagnosed cases were diagnosed out of 1.364 tests. It’s estimated that there are 2.868 active cases across the country, more than half of them in the capital Skopje. Other badly affected cities are Kumanovo (229 active cases), Stip (207) and Tetovo (316).

In Skopje, 363 active cases are reported in Cair, part of the city with mass violations of social distancing rules during Ramadan. Butel and Gazi Baba have 133 and 148 active cases, also believed to be linked to the iftar dinners during Ramadan, while Aerodrom, a densely populated area of high rises, has 129 active cases. Centar and Karpos also have over 100 cases.