Occupational safety and health

The İpsala border gate, which has been closed for crossings due to an ongoing forest fire that has raged for three days in the city of Alexandroupoli in northeastern Greece near the Turkish border, has been reopened.

The new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bulgaria for the last 24 hours are 3, according to the data of the Unified Information Portal.

207 tests were carried out, which means that the proportion of positive results is 1.4 percent.

No patients with confirmed coronavirus infection have died.

Firefighting forces continue to battle the blaze that broke out the day before in Melia Alexandroupolis on Sunday. A total of 48 fire engines with a 176-member crew, 10 teams of firefighters on foot assisted by seven firefighting aircraft and four helicopters, four of them holding a coordinating role, area operating in the area.

A new increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations and the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been recorded in Greece, with the EG.5 subvariant, or Eris, on the rise. 

In its weekly report on Thursday, the National Public Health Organization (EODY) noted that 563 patients were hospitalized with Covid-19 on August 7-13, which was almost 100 more than the week before.

Prosecutors have received a second expert analysis of the revolver fired in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of a Western film in New Mexico, as they weigh whether to refile charges against the actor.

Some 44 forest fires broke out around the country between Sunday and Monday, most of which were immediately dealt with at their initial stage, according to a statement by the Fire Service.

Investigations have also been launched into the causes of the blazes.

There are five persons newly diagnosed with coronavirus infection in Bulgaria in the past 24 hours. All new cases were detected by rapid antigen tests. Of these, 60% are of persons who have not been vaccinated.

Health authorities worldwide are concerned about the rapid spread of the new EG.5.1 subvariant (Eris) of the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2. In particular, there is concern about the coming fall. Due to summer holidays and closed schools the spread of Eris may be slow, but come September, when people start spending more time indoors, it may dominate.

Firefighters extinguished 83 fires in Bulgaria over the past 24 hours, the General Directorate of Fire Safety and Protection of the Population announced on its website, as quoted by BTA. Fire crews have responded to 125 reports of accidents.

The new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bulgaria for the last 24 hours are 36, according to the data of the Unified Information Portal. 1,036 tests were performed, i.e. the share of positive results is 3.4 percent.