The number of new Covid-19 cases, hospitalized and dead is growing. According to data released yesterday by the Institute of Public Health, 1,320 new Covid-19 cases were registered, 50 died and 457 recovered.

A total of 1,720 patients confirmed and suspected of coronavirus are treated at the infectious disease wards across the country, of which 686 are in Skopje.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Macedonia has registered 132,740 confirmed coronavirus cases, while 108,197 people have recovered. The death toll stands at 3,860. At the moment, there are 20,683 active cases across the country.

A total of 8,398 healthcare workers and citizens over the age of 77 have been vaccinated so far.

On Friday, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev once again urged all citizens to get the Covid-19 vaccine. This is, he said, important because only in that way will we protect our health and defeat the pandemic.

So far, said Zaev, the vaccination process is running as planned, but, as informed by Minister Filipce, 20 percent of the registered citizens over 77 did not show up at their appointments to get the Covid-19 jab.

The Minister of Health Venko Filipce reiterated that for now there is no need to introduce additional covid restrictions. According to him, there are no signs that there is a risk of any explosive spike that would be a sign that such measures should be introduced.

However, he warned, the health system is under enormous strain as never before in history. We are facing the peak and the strongest wave so far, but it is something that happens in virtually all surrounding countries, throughout Central Europe, and in other countries in the northern hemisphere, he said.

Filipce urged the citizens to continue to respect the measures, emphasizing that now the situation is extremely critical.