Number Of COVID-19 Cases In Serbia Reaches 188 - Health Ministry

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2020) The number of people who had contracted the coronavirus disease in Serbia has grown to 188 after 17 new cases were identified in the country over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

On Friday, Serbia registered the first death from the disease � a 59-year-old man from the city of Kikinda died in the clinical center of Vojvodina in Novi sad. President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday announced measures to tighten a curfew in the country and called on citizens not to leave their houses without an urgent need.

"Currently there are 188 positive cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in the Republic of Serbia. Until 22.03.2020, the National reference laboratory of Torlak Institute tested 700 people who fulfilled the criteria for testing (staying in the area of intensive transmission of virus and presence of symptoms of infection of the respiratory tract).

Since the last report on 21.03.2020 at 18:00, 28 persons were tested, and 17 of them were positive," the statement read.

According to the government's decision, public transport in Serbia was stopped starting from 20:00 (19:00 GMT) on Saturday, and cafes, restaurants and shopping malls were closed starting from 20:00 on Sunday. Only grocery stores and pharmacies will continue to operate. It is also prohibited for citizens to stay in parks and recreational areas.