April 3, 2020 - Of the first COVID-19 patients registered on March 17, a total of 174 cases of coronavirus infection have been recorded in Montenegro, as many as 30 new in the last 24 hours. At the same time, the first patient, whose condition was at one point critical, was released from the Clinical Center of Montenegro for home treatment. In Montenegro, two people died from COVID-19.
The new cases were registered in Podgorica (14), Bar (2), Niksic (11), Danilovgrad (1) and Herceg Novi (2). The total caseload by city is as follows: Podgorica (77), Tuzi (34), Niksic (14), Bar (12), Ulcinj (9), Andrijevica (7), Herceg Novi (7), Bijelo Polje (6), Budva (4), Danilovgrad (3), Tivat (2).
Jevto Erakovic, the Director of the Clinical Centre of Montenegro, said this patient was born in 1974.
“After 20 days of fighting, I won. I defeated coronavirus. It wasn’t easy. I am glad I didn’t transmit the infection to anyone, I didn’t put anyone in danger,” says Mr. Mihailo Vukić (46) from Bar. He sent a very emotional message to everyone. “Please stay at home. You don’t need inhalators, ventilators, injections, infusions. Stay at home, and you will be great. Thanks, Montenegro.”
“Condition this patient was in when he came gives us even more strength to endure. He will be in self-isolation for the next 15 days”, Head of the Medical team Ms. Ratković said.
The youngest COVID-19 patient in Montenegro so far is only three years old. The child’s overall condition is excellent, said the director of the Clinical Centre.
COVID-19 spread indicated local transmission
Director of the Institute for Public Health, Dr. Boban Mugoša, points out that the number of COVID-19 cases in Montenegro indicates local transmission and infection within the population and that the number would be considerably lower if citizens had adhered to the measures. Dr. Mugoša and Dr. Vesna Miranović pointed out that epidemic supervision had been enhanced in Vrela Ribnička settlement, where the first case of COVID-19 infection was discovered yesterday.
“We managed to keep Montenegro without infection for so long. What happened later resulted in the spreading of the infection. Please do not stigmatize the infected people. It isn’t anybody’s fault”, Dr. Mugoša said.
The increase in the number of infected persons is the failure to adhere to the measures
“Only one funeral in Ulcinj resulted in 40 infected persons. Failure to respect the measure of prohibition of going from one town to the other resulted in a cluster we have in one village. Failure to respect the measure referring to the ban on going abroad in the time of epidemic resulted in a cluster of 30 people and another one of 20 people. Failure to adhere to the measure referring to mass gatherings, such as religious gathering in Doljani, resulted in another cluster of infections. Now we have over 100 infections. If all those measures had been respected, we would be talking about 60 infected persons, not over 160. Listen up, please. I must warn you”, Dr. Mugoša points out at this morning press conference held by National Coordination Body and the Institute of Public Health.
At the moment, there were 940 persons in quarantines, and another group of Montenegrins national is expected to come from Frankfurt.
List of COVID-19 positive persons leaked and started circling the Internet
List of persons infected with coronavirus leaked and started circling the Internet. President of Civil Alliance, Mr. Boris Raonić, urges people not to spread it further.
Mr. Raonić emphasizes the seriousness of the new problem. “This means that competent bodies allowed this list to “leak.” They committed a criminal offense and put those people in many forms of danger, from stigmatization to even more severe types of risk”, Mr. Raonić says.
He thinks the reaction of the Agency for the Protection of the Confidentiality of Data would come naturally now.
“But the Agency lost legitimacy the moment it allowed the list of people in self-isolation. The question is, would they see this as a problem at all? The police must urgently investigate this and start from those who make a list and put them of lie detector test”, Mr. Raonić says.
He warns that these moments are critical and that we shall all show humanity and protect other people from us.
Mobile application for reporting COVID-19 symptoms
Institute for Public Health of Montenegro launched today a mobile app for reporting symptoms, as part of the more extensive integration system for management of information concerning coronavirus pandemic in Montenegro.
“The goal of the mobile app is to provide a simple and safe possibility for reporting symptoms with only two clicks. Citizens can access the app following the link they get in the SMS”, Institute for Public Health states.
Thanks to carefully designed user experience, citizens establish communication with epidemic service, send the essential data about their health, and, therefore, considerably simplify the process of medical supervision.
Whoever thinks has symptoms of the virus can call SOS line 1616.
Orav: EU will support Montenegro in dealing with COVID-19 crisis and consequences
Ambassadors of EU Member States accredited in Montenegro and Head of the EU Delegation, Mr. Aivo Orav, said that they would be with Montenegro in good times and also when it “is faced with difficulties.”
Yesterday, the EU, UNDP, and the Government of Montenegro signed the agreement as a response to Montenegro’s need for immediate support in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. This agreement envisages €3 million for the urgent needs of the Montenegrin healthcare system through the acquisition of medical devices and medical equipment.
“Our support doesn’t stop here. To contribute to the mitigation of consequences provoked by the COVID-19, the EU will support the recovery of our WB partners. That refers to our support for the private sector, increase in social protection, with special focus on vulnerable groups and strengthening of the healthcare system. Around €50 million will be earmarked for Montenegro in that context”, Mr. Orav said.
GB Ambassador to Montenegro, Alison Kemp: Greatest health challenge of our generation
Alison Kemp, the Ambassador of Great Britain to Montenegro, addressed today Montenegrin public. In her letter, HE Kemp stressed the COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest health and medical challenge the pour generation has ever been faced with.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Montenegro for the selfless help it had offered during the repatriation of British nationals. Despite limited capacities and the scope of this crisis, Montenegro generously enabled 31 British nationals to come back home. On behalf of their families and British Minister for Europe in the Foreign Office, Ms. Morton, and my behalf, I express thanks to the National Coordination Body, Airports of Montenegro, and national air carrier,” emphasized HE Kemp. The whole letter is available in English at cdm.me/English.
