Skopje, 17 August 2022 (MIA) – COVID-19 infections dropped in 22 cities over the past two weeks. The biggest decrease was registered in Makedonski Brod, Demir Hisar, Kriva Palanka and Resen. Twelve cities recorded an increase, whereas the situation remains unchanged in Pehchevo. R0 ranges from 0.56 in Demir Hisar to 1.74 in Probishtip, according to data from the Public Health Institute. A total of 335,451 COVID-19 cases were registered up until August 14. The majority of them were registered in Skopje, Kumanovo and Bitola, with the highest morbidity in Kavadarci (29,712.4/100,000) and Skopje (26,021.9/100,000). The highest mortality rates have been registered in Ohrid, Prilep and Kavadarci. Struga and Kriva Palanka have the highest lethality rates. The age of the infected is from 0-101 with 44 being the average. The highest number of infections have been registered in people over the age of 60 – 25% or 83,963, whereas the highest specific morbidity of 25,449.2/100,000 has been registered in the age group from 30-39 (n=63,871). The lowest specific morbidity of 4,227.6/100,000 has been registered in children aged 0-9, where 8,702 cases have been reported. The Institute says in the press release that 52 people were hospitalized last week, bumping the overall number of hospitalizations to 199. 55 of them are on oxygen and one patient is in intensive mechanical ventilation. A total of 875,431 people have received at least one vaccine dose by August 14, and a total of 856,460 people have received two doses. 59.5% of the population over the age of 18 has received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, i.e., 55.1% of the population over the age of 12, and 47.7% of the overall population has been vaccinated, according to the Public Health Institute’s data. 58.2% of the population over the age of 18 have received two doses of the vaccine, i.e., 54% of the population over the age of 12, and 46.6% of the total population has received two doses. 11.1% of the population over the age of 18 has received a third dose, and 10.2% of the population aged over 12 has done the same. Only 8.8% of the overall population has had a third jab. According to the risk categorization and assessment of the situation, taking into account the WHO’s indicators for the possibility of further transmission and the capacities of the country to respond to the virus, it’s estimated that North Macedonia is in a phase of wide transmission with appropriate capacities to respond. dk/ba/