Venko Filipce

After another worrying peak in infections over the past few days, North Macedonia has ordered a full 80-hour lockdown of the capital, Skopje, and the towns of Tetovo, Kumanovo and Stip. Curfews there will start at 9 pm on Thursday and last until 5 am on Monday.

Authorities in North Macedonia are considering reintroducing movement restrictions in parts of the country after registering the highest number of new COVID-19 infections in a day since the first case in late February.

Authorities in North Macedonia have announced the second-highest daily increase of new Covid-19 infections since late February, after restrictions were recently eased.

North Macedonia's president has extended the state of emergency due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic for two weeks, his cabinet said on May 15.

Health Minister Venko Filipce requested the state of emergency be extended for 30 days, but after consultations with experts President Stevo Pendarovski decided to extended it for a shorter period.

Presenting the app, Health Minister Venko Filipce said North Macedonia was looking to use "all tools and possibilities" to combat a disease that, as of April 15, had killed 44 people.

Information Society Minister Damjan Manchevski said all data would be securely stored.

Health Minister Venko Filipce [c] and his team listen to journalist's questions posted via video link. Photo: gov.mk

Use of media register drew flak:

Former Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski have been isolated on suspicion of a coronavirus. This was announced by Health Minister Venko Filipce.

The government of Northern Macedonia has decided today to introduce a movement ban for all citizens from 4 pm to 5 am on weekends to limit the spread of coronavirus, BTA reported.

The government's decision was announced by government spokesman after today's press conference by Health Minister Venko Filipce, who announced a new death and new COVID-19 cases.

North Macedonia has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus infection, diagnosed in a woman who recently returned home from Italy, the health minister said on Wednesday.
"The patient tested positive for coronavirus... She is the first patient in North Macedonia to have tested positive for this pathogen," Venko Filipce said, adding that the patient was in a stable condition.

Three children have been killed and seven others were seriously injured in a gas cylinder explosion at their home in northern Macedonia, the Associated Press reported.

An eight-year-old boy and a girl aged 9 and 11 died instantly when a gas bottle exploded in the living room of a family home in the village of Romanovce. Firefighters later extinguished the blaze, NY Times reported.