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Beroš Confirms Several More Cases of Patient Admissions in Zagreb and Varaždin

Health Minister Vili Beroš confirmed on Wednesday that there are four more patients at the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb since yesterday, one is at Vinogradska Hospital, and one in Varaždin, all with minor injuries, and it needs to be determined whether it is related to the consumption of various beverages.

– Since yesterday, we have several new patients. There are four new ones at the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, one is under observation at Vinogradska Hospital with suspicion of chemical element injury, and one was admitted in Varaždin late yesterday afternoon – said Beroš at a press conference in the Croatian Parliament.

As he reported, all patients have relatively mild symptoms. Most will be discharged for home treatment.

Not all drank the same beverages, some ate salty sticks

– These are minor injuries for which it is necessary at this moment to determine whether they are all related to the consumption of various beverages – he noted.

The patient in Varaždin has been discharged for home treatment. Five patients will be discharged for home treatment at the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, and probably a sixth after the gastroscopy that is currently awaited, said the health minister.

He emphasized that the patients did not drink the same beverages, ‘which further raises doubts about the possible suggestibility of symptoms’.

– Other manufacturers, some even consumed some salty sticks. Therefore, we need to connect everything, put it in a real context, and not further scare the public. At the moment a certain connection is established, the public will be informed, and until then, just a general recommendation to drink water from the water supply network – says Beroš.

– For now, we can preliminarily say that two of all mentioned are directly related to a certain beverage consumption, however, for all others, it is necessary to consider – emphasized the minister and stated that ‘there is absolutely no room for panic, but there is a need for certain caution’.

Along with these few cases that Beroš mentioned today, three more cases are known – one in Rijeka and two in the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb.

The minister reminded that they went public when, after Rijeka, cases of similar chemical injuries began to appear in other cities because they assessed that there was a real danger at that time.

– At this moment, the findings are still unknown. After the first injury in Rijeka, it was not possible to say what it was about. The consumption of that beverage could have been incidental, that beverage could have been somehow altered. Therefore, the question is why this happened. When we learned about the emergence of new cases in Zagreb yesterday afternoon, we went to the media and said everything we know – he emphasized.

Examining samples, as well as information in the public space

There are currently no information, especially analyses that would decisively state what it is about, he says.

Regarding the warning messages to citizens that spread on social networks, he stated that this information was ‘false and forged and was released into the public space from the perspective of creating some panic’.

– And you can be sure that the institutions of this state are investigating who and why released such forged statements into the public space – added Beroš.

He stated that all institutions in the Republic of Croatia are doing their job, the health system is ready for these challenges, and actions are being taken, he says, in accordance with the protocol provided for such situations.

In all cases of injured persons appearing in different hospitals, the police and all other state bodies, including the State Attorney’s Office and the Directorate for Health, were timely informed. If the assessment is such that the Security and Intelligence Agency should be involved, it will be included, concluded Beroš.

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