Even as the Parliament prepares to debate the strict new mask and home gathering mandates, Healthcare Minister Venko Filipce proposed other restrictions that can be ordered at the Government level. These include closing all shops at 23h, limiting public transportation to 50 percent of its capacity and having the public administration work from home or in shifts.

These proposals are the final step before ordering a new curfew, Filipce said, as coronavirus cases continue to spike in the country.

He warned that infectious diseases departments in hospitals in Strumica, Kumanovo, Prilep and Stip are full and others like Gostivar are near capacity. The field hospital in Skopje is still not being used but is kept ready. The number of active cases surpassed 5,550 yesterday.