Skopje, 12 August 2024 (MIA) — In July, 250 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to health authorities nationwide, which was 10 times more than the officially reported number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in June, the Public Health Institute said in its report released Monday.

This was a tenfold increase in reported cases also compared to July 2023, the monthly report said.

Of the people who tested and reported their coronavirus infections in July 2024, the largest number (148) were from Skopje.

The largest number of reported infections were in people aged 60 and older as well as in children aged nine or younger.

Health authorities logged the highest incidence of coronavirus cases (43.0/100,000) in Kavadarci.

Only one person's death was attributed to COVID-19 in July.

"The laboratories that conduct molecular and antigenic testing for SARS-CoV-2 tested a total of 906 samples in July, which was more than double the number of those tested last month — 409," the PHI said on the increased testing amid the new surge of infections.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, according to PHI data, a total of 350,875 confirmed cases and 9,992 deaths from COVID-19 have been officially reported. mr/