Sofia, October 20 (BTA) - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria reached 550,555, after 22,264 tests identified 4,957 newly infected persons on Tuesday, of whom 84.91 per cent are unvaccinated, according to data posted on https://coronavirus.bg/. The test positivity rate now stands at 18.6 per cent.

Sofia City Region tops the list of new cases with 1,426 positive tests, followed by Plovdiv Region with 479 cases and Varna Region with 366 cases.

The active cases are 65,331. Currently, the hospitalized patients number 6,377, including 558 in intensive care. Of the 895 newly hospitalized patients, 89.61 per cent are unvaccinated.

Another 2,743 COVID-19 patients recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 462,612.

A total of 124 fatalities were reported, of whom 95.16 per cent were unvaccinated, and the death toll now adds up to 22,612.

With 9,097 new inoculations over the last 24 hours, 2,643,788 vaccine doses have been administered so far, 1,393,292 people are fully vaccinated and 9,311 people have received a booster dose.

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A Green Certificate proving vaccination against COVID-19, recovery from the coronavirus or a negative PCR or antigen test, will be required for access to indoor activities for persons aged over 18. Those under the age of 18 are exempt from this requirement, according to the Health Minister's order introducing new epidemic-control measures, effective October 21, it transpired on Wednesday.

Caretaker Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov specified that the initial idea was to apply to exemption to children under 12 but, after discussion with experts, the age limit was raised to 18.

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As from October 21, all pupils in municipalities with more than 750 COVID-19 infections per 100,000 population will switch to distance learning, the Education and Science Ministry said in a press release, referring to an order to this effect issued by Minister Nikolay Denkov and aligned with the respective order issued by Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov on October 18. At this point, these are Sofia City and municipalities in the regions of Vidin, Gabrovo, Kyustendil, Montana and Pernik.

Municipal hospital and social service centre directors in Sofia have warned that the reorganization of work required by the new anti-epidemic restrictions effective as from midnight poses a serious challenge, considering that a substantial proportion of the staff do not hold "Green Certificates". RY, MY/DS, LG