COVID-19 in Montenegro: 303 infected, Four Deaths, Update April 16, 2020

 

 

April 16, 2020 - From yesterday's intersection at 5 pm to this morning until 8 o'clock, the Institute of Public Health's laboratories has completed the analysis of 86 samples, including two new positive results on COVID-19. Both cases are from Ulcinj and are contacts of a previously known patient. The total number of coronavirus infected people in Montenegro is 290. Four patients have died, and the Institute announced yesterday that 45 people had recovered from COVID-19.

 

The average age of confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients in our country is a little less than 43 years. It is slightly lower than the average age of patients in the surrounding countries, said epidemiologist Sanja Medenica, Head of the Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Institute of Public Health in the interview for the Daily Dan.

 

All recommendations, measures, and orders communicated to the public by the Government, even before the epidemic was declared in Montenegro, were attributed to the National Coordination Body for Infectious Diseases (NKT). The legal basis of all the previously introduced rules is under the question since that body was officially formed weeks after the COVID-19 crisis in Montenegro begun. 

 

Opposition political bloc Democratic Front (DF) has released a document - the Decision on the formation of a National Coordinating Body for Infectious Diseases, signed by the Minister of Health, Kenan Krapovic, according to which it was formed only on March 30. 

 

The DF calls the Government to respond when they formed the Commission for the Protection of Infectious Diseases by the Law on the Protection of the Infectious Diseases. DF is asking who its members are, and why the Decision its establishment was not published in the Official Gazette. They also ask the Government for the same information when it comes to setting up a National Coordination Body for the Prevention, Elimination, and Eradication of Infectious Diseases.

 

The DF considers it scandalous that the Government for the formation of the NKT refers to Article 56 of the Regulation on the Organization of Public Administration Work, which refers to the creation of project groups, teams or other forms of work within an organizational unit at the level of professional cooperation of civil servants. In their view, Health Minister Kenan Krapovic, who signs it, should resign.

The authorities, since the start of the crisis caused by the spread of coronaviruses, have struggled to respond promptly and put in place adequate measures, the Alliance said, noting that there have been failures in the functioning of the system when it comes to protecting human rights.

 

The first case of unconstitutional action was the publication of lists of persons in self-isolation. However, despite the public's violent reaction and argued warnings from the civil sector, the Government did not respond to correcting this mistake. The Civic Alliance added that it was particularly worrying that the list was published with the prior approval of the Personal Data Protection Agency.

 

Papovic added that the list, which contains the first and last name and the address of the residence of the persons who received the Decision on self-isolation, is continuously updated, which has been condemned by numerous international organizations in the field of human rights protection.

 

An even more serious violation of human rights occurred when a list of coronavirus-infected people was "leaked" to the public, which the Government condemned and demanded a prompt response from the prosecution, which resulted in the suspect being arrested.

 

Papovic warned that in a state of epidemic and mass vulnerability, care must be taken about how medical records are kept and other issues related to the situation, to establish accountability by the end. According to him, the identity of patients on the list can be protected by providing codes instead of personal information, with strict control over access to personal data.

 

He said freedom of expression was also one of the fundamental rights that was being questioned in the current situation. "The prosecution's reaction was too harsh to detain people for allegedly spreading panic during the epidemic. The European Commission has also condemned it, stating that it is necessary to strike a balance between freedom of expression and prosecution," Papovic said.

 

According to him, inadequate information about the establishment of the National Coordinating Body for Infectious Diseases and misleading the public has raised many doubts.

 

"Most of the decisions of this team were judged to be timely and effective. However, accusations of their composition, legal basis of action, the exact date of establishment, and the like were cast a shadow over their work," Papovic said.

 

He recalled that only after a month, and after a lengthy public debate, had the Government explained the legal basis and structure of the NKT.

 

As the holder of the constitutional and legislative power, and as the highest representative body of the people, the Assembly had to take a proactive approach to solve the problems and monitoring the adopted measures, "said Papovic.

 

The NGO Civic Alliance also points out that at a time when Montenegro is facing one of the biggest health threats in its history, this topic is becoming the subject of inadequate political promotion and struggle.

 

Source: Daily Dan, Vijesti Online