Over the past 24 hours 777 new coronavirus cases have been registered in Croatia, Health Minister Vili Beros said on Thursday, adding that due to the rise in infections, the numbers of active cases and hospitalization had gone up 19 percent and 18 percent respectively on the week.

“Each one of us affects developments by our own example and behaviour, so the trend of increase in infections can be avoided,” he said at a cabinet meeting. He called for caution so as not to cancel the progress achieved in curbing the disease, notably due to the situation in neighbouring countries.

The minister said 408,270 Covid vaccine doses had arrived in Croatia so far and that 288,982 had been administered, with a little over 158,000 people receiving the first and over 65,000 both shots.

He said 73,078 doses had been administered to medical workers, with 10,316 receiving the first and 31,381 both shots.

Suspected vaccine side effects have been reported 1,342 times.

“By the end of March, we expect an additional 335,106 doses,” Beros said, adding that 743,376 doses will have been received in total by the end of the month.

By 5 March, more than 5,500 post-Covid patients have been hospitalized, most of them with respiratory problems.