TIRANA, March 16 /ATA/ – By Maela Marini / “In the last 24 hours, 31 suspected cases with COVID-19 have been tested, citizens and healthcare staff, of whom 9 cases turned out to be positive. Until now 563 suspected cases have been tested with 51 cases tested positive for COVID-19.”
This is what Vice Minister of Health Mira Rakacolli stated in a daily news briefing on COVID-19 situation in Albania.
“Thanks to the careful and professional work done by the PHI and regional care units detecting and tracking cases on the field, in the last 24 hours 31 suspected persons, citizens and health personnel, have been tested, of whom 9 fresh cases have been confirmed with COVID-19, ”she said.
Until now, 563 suspected cases have been tested and 51 have been confirmed positive with COVID-19:
Following is the geographical spread of confirmed cases with novel coronavirus:
Tirana 34 cases
Durrës 5 cases (one of them has passed away)
Lushnje 2 cases
Elbasan 2 cases
Fier 6 cases
Rrogozhinë 2 cases
Rakacolli said that of them 20 are receiving treatment in Infectious Disease Hospital (from Tirana, Durrës, Fier, Lushnja and Rrogozhina).
“Of those hospitalized, three are in intensive care unit with one of them on breathing machine. The rest of those hospitalized are in stable condition,” she said.
Following a thorough epidemiological investigation launched yesterday at “Shefqet Ndroqi” hospital, Rakacolli said that “4 cases of health personnel have tested positive (one doctor and 3 nurses) who have been in contact with the patient, who is currently being cured at the infectious hospital and had previously been hospitalized at “Shefqet Ndroqi” Hospital.
“As we have informed you, the follow-up investigation found that this patient was visited at hospital by a relative from Italy, who did not provide this information to the medical staff.” The staff is in good health, without any symptoms and self-quarantined.
Public Health Institute is conducting the epidemiological investigation and testing the suspected cases, she said.
Rakacolli reiterated the call to citizens to phone 127!
“Give detailed information to medical staff! Unless you disclose your travel information to medical staff, you run the risk of infecting the health staff and your relatives. It is an obligation today to protect health care personnel. Please citizens, avoid direct hospital visits. Stay at home! Adhere to the new rules!
An appeal to the elderly over the age of 70: Do not leave home,” she said.
/sm/
