March 26, 2020 - The number of COVID-19 cases in Montenegro has increased today for 16 patients, bringing the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in our country to 69.
The Institute of Public Health of Montenegro tested 44 patients this morning, 14 of which confirmed COVID-19 infection.
"As of this morning, 78 samples were analyzed. The new coronavirus was confirmed in two people, while the finding was negative in 76 people. In Montenegro, we now have a total of 69 infected with the new coronavirus," the Institute of Public Health said.
There are 6,258 people under medical and sanitary supervision in Montenegro.
The number of infected persons by city:
- Tuzi: 26
- Podgorica: 27
- Herceg Novi: 4
- Budva: 4
- Ulcinj: 3
- Bar: 3
- Andrijevica: 1
- Danilovgrad: 1
In the Clinical Center of Montenegro, 14 patients are treated for COVID-19. Ten patients were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Clinic, while four at the Internal Clinic. Clinical Center reports that vital parameters are currently stable in all patients.
Police Monitoring Tuzi
A total of 26 cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Tuzi, and the city has been quarantined since yesterday. As of yesterday, Podgorica police have prosecuted 16 persons for violating the prohibition of leaving the territory of the Municipality of Tuzi, and today, in addition to roadblocks and regular patrolling, the police are monitoring and recording the Tuzi drone from the air, the Police Directorate said.
The health and sanitation situation in Montenegro is further complicated by the lack of protective equipment for doctors and medical staff, which is why the Union of Doctors of Medicine in the past days has publicly addressed the Government of Montenegro, noting that they have pointed to this problem several times before. Medical workers and the Montenegrin public have been further disturbed by photos posted on social networks by the children of the Minister of Health, Kenan Hrapovic, with protective masks that most of our medical professionals can only dream of on duty, usually lasting 12 hours.
Stathis donates three tons of medicalequipment for health care workers
The Prime Minister Dusko Markovic announced today the donation of three tons of necessary medical and protective equipment for doctors, health care workers, and members of all services that are on the front line of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, for the fight against the virus coronas in Montenegro. Prime Minister thanked donor Petros Stathis, owner of Adriatic Properties and Universal Capital Bank and Mohammed Al Shaibani, co-owner of Porto Montenegro, for helping to transport the donated medical equipment to Montenegro as soon as possible. It is the best confirmation that Montenegro has friends, both socially responsible and respectable foreign investors, the Government points out.
EU allocated three million euros to Montenegro to fight COVID-19, 50 million for long term support
The head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Montenegro, Aivo Orav, said that the EU had allocated three million euros to Montenegro for emergency procurement.
He also says they have rescheduled € 50 million from existing pre-accession funds to support the health system further.
"Dear Montenegrin, friends, these are difficult times. We are facing a health crisis that we have never experienced before, which is being fought by all countries in Europe," Orav said.
He says that European Union solidarity is always winning, "and we are organizing ourselves to respond to the crisis and beat COVID-19. As you know, the EU has always been Montenegro's leading partner and donor. We have already donated over € 12 million to improve your health sector. Now we stand with you again, "Orav said today.
Delivered three instead of five respirators
Montenegro has a small number of respirators, so the news of the day is that Serbia has prevented the import into Montenegro of three of the five appliances ordered by the Health Insurance Fund from a Swedish supplier. The Fermont company, a representative office of a Swedish company in Belgrade, with which the Fund entered into a contract for the ordering of appliances, explained today that the Fund did not pay the advance in advance. As a supplier, the company began to procure respirators. Three were located in Belgrade - Serbia, and two were in Zagreb - Croatia. The goods have been taken from Zagreb and already delivered to healthcare institutions in Montenegro. Fermont was unable to arrange the transport of respirators from Belgrade because these types of goods banned for export. In the meantime, they were sold to another company in Serbia, they say, responding to today's writing by some Montenegrin media. The same explanation came from the Serbian Embassy in Podgorica.
Donations coming from individuals and companies
In the meantime, new donations are coming from individuals and companies, and tonight the respirator received the General Hospital in Bijelo Polje, which was donated to Montenegrin football team member Stefan Savic by this health institution for the fight against coronavirus.
Instead of the planned opening ceremony of the biotechnology laboratory, the Tehnopolis Innovation and Entrepreneurial Center in Niksic decided to give it to the health system to deal with the spread of the virus corona as effectively as possible. Laboratory equipment also enables detection of a new virus, and 3D printing of visors and other medical supplies has already begun in Tehnopolis.
"Genesig q16 Real Time PCR equipment, among other things, is equipped with laboratory equipment, which can run 14 samples at a time, and results are obtained after 90 minutes," explained Tehnopolis Director Ratko Batakovic.
Knowing that coronavirus could be detected with the equipment and adequate reagent, they offered to have the equipment available to the Institute of Public Health.
According to him, they immediately contacted the supplier and ordered the first quantity of reagents for at least 300 analyses. They hope that regardless of slow or interrupted traffic and transport communications, their partners from Vienna and Belgrade will respond in the best and fastest way so that they can complete everything necessary for virus detection as soon as possible.
Source: Govermnet of Montenegro, Institute of Public Health of Montenegro, Vijesti Online
