Bulgaria

According to the The National Employment Agency, 236,000 are the unemployed people in Bulgaria. "For yesterday, we have a fairly high number of newly registered workers in the Labor Offices. The total number of the country was 7 138. About 5 000 of them indicated that their registration was related indirectly or directly to the crisis at the time of the coronavirus epidemic.

The National Assembly voted in favor of extending the state of emergency to May 13, 2020, according to BGNES.

The motion was adopted with 122 votes in favour, 47 against and 7 abstentions.

Deputies rejected the proposals the state of emergency in Bulgaria to be extended until April 30.

This is indicated by the data of the National Operational Headquarters

485 are the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bulgaria, and the victims of the virus are 14. This is according to the latest data from the National Operational Headquarters.

An 83-year-old woman with COVID-19 died at Alexandrovska Hospital. She suffered from hypertension and diabetes.

Technomarket Bulgaria EAD transferred BGN 100,000 to the account of the Ministry of Health for supporting the activity of the medical establishments in Bulgaria in the conditions of the emergency situation related to COVID-19.

Sofia is marking on Sunday the 141th anniversary of its proclamation as capital of Bulgaria.

The decision to declare Sofia as the new capital of Bulgaria was taken shortly after the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878.

The government has approved two draft contracts that the Ministry of Health is about to conclude with China's National Pharmaceutical Corporation for Foreign Trade, the cabinet's press service said.

Under the first contract, MOH will purchase 171,429 packages of Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate Tablets 100 mg worth $ 582,858,60.

Bulgaria's Parliament Speaker Tsveta Karayancheva said on April 2 she has called an extraordinary sitting tomorrow. The agenda will include the proposed extension of the coronavirus state of emergency and updating of the budget.

477 are the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bulgaria according to data from the National Operational Headquarters. A 4-year-old child who has bilateral pneumonia is likely to be intubated, said the chief of staff, Gen. Ventsislav Mutafchiiski. The death toll has increased by two. So far, 12 people have died.

Labour inspectorates say they do not have the resources to look into a spike in reported abuses.

Early indications in some countries point to layoffs in the thousands. Public sector workers, for now, appear safe, but not necessarily their wages.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov today.  Secretary Pompeo congratulated Bulgaria on its quick actions to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases, and the two discussed further efforts to mitigate this crisis.