page_title: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia
section_title: Fourth week
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia / Timeline / March 2020 / Fourth week
caption_attribution_description: English: Tents positioned at hospital parking in order to test patients suspected of COVID-19 before entering the Međimurje county hospital.
context_section_description: On 23 March, new 61 cases were reported. The first case in the Međimurje County was reported.
  On 24 March, 67 new cases were reported, bringing the number of the infected to 382. The number of recovered increased to 16. The first case was recorded in Vinkovci; a woman who had worked in Austria.
  On 25 March, 60 new cases were reported, increasing the number of infected to 442. Three soldiers of Croatian Army on a mission in Lithuania were confirmed to have been tested positive as well. Croatian Institute for Public Health director Krunoslav Capak confirmed eight cases of the virus and thirty individuals who have the symptoms on the island of Murter, and backed up cutting transportation ties with the island until the individuals with the symptoms are tested. Minister Božinović confirmed nobody entered the country in the previous week and announced a convoy of 400 people who were going to travel from Austria and Slovenia to Serbia accompanied by police. The first death was confirmed, as the man who had died on 18 March was confirmed after the autopsy to have died due to the virus.
  On 26 March, 39 new cases were reported, bringing the number of infected to 481. Minister of Defence Damir Krstičević announced sending a Croatia Airlines plane to Afghanistan to return 105 soldiers of Croatian Army home, as well as 26 soldiers of Montenegrin Army, seven soldiers of North Macedonian Army and two soldiers of Albanian Army. Epidemiologist Alen Medić, from Institute of Public Health Zadar, stated that he would request quarantine to be proclaimed in Biograd na Moru, just like on Murter, due to circa eighty people being suspected of being infected. The same day two new deaths were recorded in the country. Both of the deceased were elderly oncological patients from Zagreb and Slavonski Brod, respectively.
  On 27 March, 91 new cases were reported, a record increase in a single day. The reason was two new hotspots in Zadar and Biograd na Moru.
  On 28 March, 71 new cases were reported. Two new deaths were confirmed; a 92-year-old woman "with significant comorbidity" from Pula and a 60-year-old man from Karlovac. Director Capak confirmed eight new cases on Murter, which had previously been under quarantine. He also recommended the citizens to maximally avoid going outside due to air pollution in Zagreb, which could have caused respiratory problems and whose source was out of the country.
  On 29 March, 56 new cases were reported, increasing the number of infected to 713. Sixth death was confirmed; 84-year-old man who died in Clinical Hospital Dubrava, having previously suffered a stroke. The number of recovered increased to 52 and the number of patients on ventilators increased to 26. Minister Beroš announced anticipation of a China Eastern Airlines plane carrying 12.5 tonnes of medical equipment from Shanghai via Frankfurt to Zagreb. Minister Božinović announced that a security guard from the Bilice prison in Split had been tested positive for the virus.
  On 30 March, 77 new cases were reported, bringing the number of infected to 790. The number of recovered increased to 64 and the number of patients on ventilators increased to 27. No new death cases were reported.
  On 31 March, 77 new cases were reported, increasing the number of the infected to 867, 32 of which were on ventilators. Total number of recovered patients increased to 67. As of that day, all counties of Croatia recorded at least one case of infection. Minister Božinović warned citizens about tomorrow's April Fools' Day and directed them not to spread any misinformation as a joke. Teaching Institute for Public Health introduced a "drive in" method of diagnosing the infection, where a patient does not leave their vehicle and their sample is instead taken through a car window. However, the method requires making an appointment with a family medicine doctor previously.
caption: COVID-19 tents in front of hospital in Čakovec
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