Bulgarian province imposes night curfew to fight coronavirus

The Bulgarian province of Stara Zagora on Tuesday imposed a night curfew to fight coronavirus, the regional governor said. Gergana Mikova signed an order that bars residents and visitors from leaving their homes or accommodations from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Exceptions would only be made for shift workers and those in need of emergency medical care.

Stara Zagora province, located in the southern part of the country, has a population of more than 320,000. As of Monday, the Balkan country had 399 confirmed cases of coronavirus and eight deaths. Health authorities in Stara Zagora reported three cases on Monday.

Two weeks ago the Bulgarian town of Kozloduy, site of the country’s sole nuclear power plant, also imposed a curfew while the ski resort of Bansko has been put under a two-week lockdown, which ends on Tuesday. The mayor of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria's sixth-largest city, said dog owners will only be allowed to take their pets for a walk near where they live.

Bulgaria has already banned access to city parks and restricted non-essential travel between cities and towns.