Bulgaria’s health minister Kiril Ananiev has said that the country will start large-scale testing for coronavirus infections after tackling a shortage of test kits.
The country, that has so far recorded 783 coronavirus cases and 37 deaths, has been testing only people most at risk of infection due to inadequate supplies of testing material.
“We will start massive testing of Bulgarians,” Ananiev said, adding that Sofia had secured about 20,000 polymerase chair reaction (PCR) test kits and was awaiting deliveries from South Korea as well as from other local and foreign donors.
Some 18 laboratories across Bulgaria were equipped to perform rapid antibody tests and the more reliable PCR lab tests.
Bulgaria is among the EU member states with the lowest number of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19.
Since the middle of March, the country has closed schools, restaurants, bars and other places of business, restricted inter-city travel and urged people to stay at home in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
