November 10, 2020 - The situation regarding the COVID-19 epidemic in Montenegro is very complicated, challenging and difficult, because the level of local transmission is very high, stated the Director of the Institute of Public Health, Dr. Boban Mugoša. The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country is currently 7177.
Mugoša said at the press conference that the level of transmission is so high that in a few days it could endanger the health system.
"Citizens continue to behave in a manner that is not in accordance with the recommendations and orders. They show no responsibility to themselves or to others. The measures were introduced for a reason and it is understood that it is necessary for everyone to adhere to them. If we have created a methodology that allows measures to be introduced in vulnerable municipalities, the population of those municipalities should respect the measures, so as not to endanger others, "said Mugoša.
Unfortunately, as he added, part of the population is not aware of the danger we are in.
"Let's not test the health care system. People are tired, they have been working non-stop for months. We have to keep that in mind. We managed to ensure that the hospitals were not overcrowded, that there was someone to provide care and assistance. There is a lot of pressure in COVID-19 dispensaries, home care teams barely manage to visit all the sick. This means that we are moving towards a situation when it will no longer be possible to help everyone. That is why I appeal again to respect the measures and to respect both oneself and others. This is the only way we can prevent further spread of the infection," said Mugoša.
According to him, in recent days playgrounds were full of children, and the presence of children in religious buildings was also noticed.
Mugoša especially referred to the citizens of Podgorica who go to other municipalities, which represents a great danger of the spread of the virus:
The capacities of the Institute of Public Health for testing have significantly increased, so in 2019 they performed about 11,000 tests, and in less than eight months this year already about 100,000 tests.
"The introduction of rapid tests was primarily done to speed up diagnostics and preparation for what is to come. When seasonal respiratory infections and flu occur, we must quickly distinguish whether it is such an infection or COVID-19,” said Mugoša.
Mugoša said that schools, as institutions, are safe for teaching, but the journey to school and grouping of children in playgrounds is problematic. Therefore, the NKT plans for schools to be closed only if a complete lockdown is introduced, ie when hospital capacities are so full that this lockdown measure must be introduced throughout the country.
When asked why people with all symptoms do not get a solution for self-isolation while waiting for test results, Mugoša pointed out that those who have symptoms and suspect that they are infected should not wait for results to isolate themselves, but that it is enough to know that they can be infected to stay home and wait for test results.
However, the situation is not yet so critical as to establish temporary COVID-19 hospitals, Mugoša believes. If necessary, they can be opened in just two days:
“We still have space within the health system for 150-170 beds in the existing COVID-19 hospitals, and three or four more hospitals can be converted into COVID-19 hospitals with extra beds. We are not in that situation yet, ”said the Director of the Institute of Public Health.
COVID-19 in Montenegro: Latest Health Update
Laboratories of the Institute of Public Health and private laboratories dealing with PCR diagnostics have completed PCR analysis of 966 samples for the new coronavirus since the last section, among which a total of 357 new cases of COVID-19 infection have been registered.
From November 2 to 9, a total of 1105 rapid antigen tests were performed in public health institutions, of which 446 results were positive.
Given the currently-adopted testing strategy according to which the result of a rapid antigen test has the same diagnostic and epidemiological significance as the result of the PCR test, the number and result of all tests will be displayed together from today.
The total number of deaths related to COVID-19 infection since the beginning of June is 333, and since the beginning of the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Montenegro, 342.
In the last 24 hours, recovery was reported in 196 patients.
Taking into account all newly discovered cases as well as the number of recovered in the past 24 hours, the total number of currently active COVID19 cases in Montenegro is 7177.
Since the beginning of the year, the total number of registered cases of infection with the new corona virus is 23608.
