Four patients died of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, the Healthcare Ministry reported. The toll equals the highest number of deaths Macedonia has had during the course of the epidemic and comes after two also grim days, which had three deaths each.

The Ministry informed that the patients were aged between 55 and 82 and were from Skopje, Tetovo and Veles. Three of them were admitted to hospital a week ago but the 55 year old female patient from Tetovo was only admitted two days ago. This brings the death toll of the epidemic to 126. Macedonia continues to have an exceptionally high mortality rate compared to the Balkan region.

The Ministry also confirmed media reports that there are 52 new coronavirus cases diagnosed out of 661 tests. Half of the cases were in Skopje, where the majority Muslim areas are having an outbreak likely linked to the mass iftar dinners conducted during the month of Ramadan. Nine more cases were diagnosed in Muslim majority Tetovo. The total number of diagnosed patients is 2.129, and 487 of them are still considered active cases.

A high number of 24 new patients were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Skopje and 6 more to the “8th of September” hospital in Skopje. There are currently 71 patients treated there, seven of them on mechanical ventilation. There are also 36 patients treated in Bitola, Veles, Kumanovo and Prilep.