The COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia has resulted in 1,371,707 confirmed cases and 18,806 deaths.
The first case in Croatia was reported in Zagreb on 25 February 2020, involving a patient who had recently travelled from Italy and tested positive for COVID-19. On the same day, the second case related to the first one was confirmed. In March 2020, a cluster of cases were reported in numerous Croatian cities. On 12 March, the first recovery was reported, and on 18 March, the first death from the virus was confirmed.
The pandemic in Croatia occurred during the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. On 22 March 2020, Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, was hit by the strongest earthquake in 140 years, causing problems in the enforcement of social distancing measures set out by the Croatian government, as the country engaged in a period of lockdown in the later part of the first half of 2020. On 5 July 2020, a parliamentary election was held in the country. On 16 May 2021, local elections were held in the country. In general, the country was mostly reopened during the 2020 summer tourist season.
As of 22 October 2022, 5,357,755 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Croatia.
Background and prevention
Concerns over the virus began as soon as it began its rapid rise in China and its effects on the international scale became clear. Concerns were raised about the increased probability of the virus entering Croatia because of the number of Chinese workers working on Pelješac Bridge. Some of the institutions in Croatia preemptively reacted to the potential threat.
The airports in Croatia were prepared and they started going through passive measures and being vigilant. The Ministry of Health warned those travelling to China to avoid sick people, animals, and markets, not to eat any raw or semi-cooked animals, and to wash their hands often and to notify their doctor of their plans to travel to China.
After relieving Milan Kujundžić from the position of Health Minister, on 31 January, Vili Beroš was confirmed as the new Health Minister by the Croatian Parliament. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković cited the coronavirus problem as one of the reasons for the change. Beroš held a meeting with the Ministry's Crisis Headquarters on his first day regarding the coronavirus epidemic. On the same day, the Ministry announced the formation of a National Crisis Headquarters for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Croatian Public Health Institute introduced special health inspection measures on 2 February for persons arriving from China or had been in China recently. On 3 February, Beroš met with Stella Kyriakidou, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and Janez Lenarčič, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, to discuss the situation with the coronavirus. Following a meeting with the EU health ministers on 13 February, Beroš said that the closure of EU borders is a possible measure.
Beroš adopted a decision to establish a quarantine unit at the Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević" in Zagreb on 21 February, for suspected or confirmed infected persons with coronavirus. A Croatian citizen who spent time on the Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined in that unit on the following day. He had no symptoms, but was placed in a 14-day quarantine as a precautionary measure. Plenković said that the Crisis Headquarters will meet on a daily basis and that the Government will take any measure necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Timeline
On 19 March, the number of recorded cases surpassed 100. On 21 March, it surpassed 200. On 25 March, it surpassed 400. On 31 March, it surpassed 800. On 12 April, it surpassed 1,600. On 14 April, the number of active cases reached its peak of 1,258. On 28 April, the number of active cases dropped below 800. On 7 May, it dropped below 400. On 17 May, it dropped below 200. On 26 May, it dropped below 100. On 3 June, it dropped below 50. However, on 20 June, the number of active cases hit 50 again, surpassing it the next day. On 23 June, it surpassed 100 again. On 25 June, it surpassed 200 again. On 28 June, it surpassed 400 again. On 5 July, it surpassed 800 again. On 6 July, the number of recorded cases surpassed 3,200. On 15 August, the number of recorded cases surpassed 6,400. On 5 September, the number of active cases reached the new peak of 2,771. On 10 September, the number of recorded cases surpassed 12,800. On 19 October, the number of recorded cases surpassed 25,600. On 1 November, the number of recorded cases surpassed 51,200. On 22 November, the number of recorded cases surpassed 102,400. On 12 December, the number of active cases reached the new peak of 25,270. On 27 December, the number of recorded cases surpassed 204,800. On 5 October 2021, it surpassed 409,600.
On 4 April, the number of recovered cases surpassed 100. On 9 April, it surpassed 200. On 13 April, it surpassed 400. On 21 April, it surpassed 800. On 6 May, it surpassed 1,600. On 22 July, it surpassed 3,200. On 27 August, it surpassed 6,400. On 22 September, it surpassed 12,800. On 26 October, it surpassed 25,600. On 9 November, it surpassed 51,200. On 30 November, it surpassed 102,400. On 6 January 2021, it surpassed 204,800.
On 25 May, the number of deaths reached 100, surpassing it the next day. On 7 September, it surpassed 200. On 22 October, it surpassed 400. On 9 November, it surpassed 800. On 27 November, the number of deaths reached 1,600, surpassing it the next day. On 21 December, it surpassed 3,200. On 15 April 2021, it surpassed 6,400.
According to the University of Oxford, as of 24 March, Croatia is the country with the world's strictest restrictions and measures for infection reduction in relation to the number of infected. Strict measures, early detection of spread routes, prompt government reaction, extensive media coverage, and citizen cooperation have been credited for successful containment of the pandemic in Croatia.
For the citizens, the Government set up a website koronavirus.hr for all information they are interested in, as well as a new phone line 113 that has volunteers answering their questions. On 3 April the Croatian Institute of Public Health implemented a Facebook chatbot named Nada, and on 14 April, the Government presented a WhatsApp chatbot nicknamed Andrija, after Andrija Štampar, whose purposes are to give personalised advice to citizens who suspect they are infected. Nada and Andrija are also intended to relieve human medical workers of the pressure by "working on the phones 24/7".
Impact
Culture
On 11 March, the Rijeka Film Festival and the Role of Cultural Heritage in Socioeconomic Development and the Preservation of Democratic Values conference were both postponed until further notice.
On 18 March, it was announced that, as of the next day, all cultural institutions in Croatia will be closed.
The same day, the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb decided, in collaboration with the daily newspaper 24sata, to allow citizens access to cultural content through a YouTube channel, which will feature daily performances from the branches of opera, ballet and drama, and the viewers will be able to watch some of the most popular performances of the Theater, such as One Song a Day Takes Mischief Away, Swan Lake and Ero the Joker.
On 20 March, Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka started with an online virtual program Zajc With You on their YouTube channel, as an act responsibility and in solidarity with its audience, citizens of Rijeka and the wider community, especially those most vulnerable ones, either because of their age or because they are "on the front line of defense against the virus". Some ensembles will not continue their regular and usual work, because it involves gathering of more people, such as orchestras or choirs, and physical contact, such as ballet ensembles.
Economy
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zdravko Marić was asked to comment on to what extent the virus has affected the national economy, and if it could trigger an economic crisis. He said:
"It is very difficult to forecast what will happen because the situation is changing on a daily basis. The situation is very serious, so I have to choose my words carefully. A lot of people are making off the cuff statements. No one in government is negating the problem, the problem is quite evident. But right now we cannot forecast the scope of its effect. No one can. Primarily because no one knows how long the coronavirus crisis will last."
Minister Marić added that it was far too early to make any predictions regarding the national economy in 2020 and budgetary revenues:
"Right now I don't want to speculate on what its effects will be. Our budgetary projection for economic growth, GDP growth this year is 2.5%, it remains to be seen if we will have to adjust the figure down and if so by how much."
The city of Dubrovnik began to brace for the economic impact that the coronavirus could cause in Croatia.
On 14 March, the Government banned price increases and set the 30 January price as the highest possible for the following products: flour, milk, milk powder, eggs, sugar, salt, rice, pasta, fresh meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, canned meat, canned fish, edible oil, baby food, baby diapers, drinking water, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, soap, as well as water disinfectants, space disinfectants, hand sanitisers including concentrated alcohol, hazmat suits and other protective clothes and shoes, goggles, protective gloves, protective shoe covers, protective masks, respirators/transport fans, medication, medical products and bed covers for medical system; to avoid price increases amid panic buying. Prime Minister Plenković informed President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen of the Government's decision a day later. State Inspectorate announced that price inspections would start on 17 March with the fines varying from 3,000 to 15,000 HRK.
On 17 March, Prime Minister Plenković announced closing shopping centres, some shops, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, reading rooms, libraries, gyms, sports centres, fitness centres, recreation centres, dance schools, children's and other workshops, exhibitions, fairs, nightclubs and discos. The government proposed short-term economic measures, like postponement of tax payments and loans for struggling businesses for at least three months in response to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 18 March, a hotel Le Méridien LAV in Split announced it would close from 23 March to 15 April.
From 19 March, all non-essential activities in the service sector were closed.
On 1 April, the government proposed a second set of economic measures. The net minimum wage was increased from 3,250 HRK to 4,000 HRK (725€), and the Government would pay benefits contributions on the minimum wage of up to 1,460 HRK (192€). Companies that were out of work or were seriously hampered by the pandemic were partially or entirely exempt from tax payments on profit and income, and from contributions.
On 9 April, World Bank predicted 6.2% decrease in Croatian GDP and 9% increase in unemployment rate. On 14 April, International Monetary Fund predicted an even worse scenario, a large decrease of 9% in GDP by the end of 2020. However, the former predicted a 6.2% increase in GDP in 2021, while the latter predicted a 4.6% increase.
On 19 April, the Institute of Economics stated that Croatian public debt would increase to 90% of GDP in the "most favorable" case, but only if the crisis ended in the next three months.
On 6 May, European Commission predicted 9.1% decrease in Croatian GDP by the end of the year and then 7.5% increase a year after. On 7 July, they predicted an even worse scenario – 10.8% decrease – while their prediction about next year recovery did not change.
Tourism
The City of Zagreb reported 6% fewer arrivals in February than in the same period the previous year. The impact was visible from the contrast to January, which recorded 10% growth compared to the same period the previous year.
According to data from evisitor.hr, in the first ten days of March, arrivals decreased by 30% which is an unprecedented decline in recent Croatian history.
On 14 March, Split City Museum limited its activity and closed the Cellars of Diocletian's Palace and Gallery Emanuel Vidović for visitors. In the week from 16 to 22 March, hotels and restaurants in the country recorded 78% decline in revenue compared to the previous week.
On 16 April, Jutarnji list reported about the Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic (ACCKA)'s letter to the Czech Government about allowing Czech citizens who are confirmed to be negative for the virus to travel to Croatia and Slovenia, among other countries, during the summer via special corridors. The next day, Prime Minister Plenković spoke with Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš about the idea, and ordered Minister Gari Cappelli and Minister Klára Dostálová to come up with an acceptable model for the arrival of the Czechs.