The increase in the number of people infected with coronavirus in Kosovo is a warning for increased care against the spread of this virus, says the director of the University Clinical Hospital Service of Kosovo (SHSKUK), Valbon Krasniqi.
He adds that for now, with the current number of infected, the situation is manageable, but emphasizes that care must be taken in this regard.
The number of cases with COVID-19 is increasing in recent days in Kosovo, while on August 4, 221 new cases were registered, after testing 3,160 samples. Over 100 cases of infections are in the age group of 20-39 years.
There are 107 patients in general hospitals in Kosovo, while there are 34 patients in the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Prishtina, two of whom are in serious condition.
The National Institute of Public Health has announced that about 90 percent of COVID-19 infection cases are related to the Delta variant. This variant, which is more contagious, has become dominant in Kosovo as well. Institute, samples for the Delta variant, sends them abroad to analyze them.
Meanwhile, at least five people who have been vaccinated have been infected with the coronavirus, and two of them have been vaccinated with both doses of the vaccine.
The acting director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Arben Vishaj, says for Radio Free Europe that the condition of the patients in question is not serious.
“Patients are hospitalized, but they are manifesting mild clinical forms and I hope that they will be released very soon”, says Vishaj.
On the other hand, infectologist Sali Ahmeti, tells Radio Free Europe that the symptoms of the Delta variant seem to be similar to those of the first variant of the virus.
“In our cases, we have not seen any particular clinical changes and almost all of the clinical manifestations are similar to those of the original virus,” he said.
Keep masks and keep your distance
Ahmeti adds that the observance of measures against the pandemic must continue, otherwise, according to him, the number of infected will increase.
“I think that masks should continue to be worn, even by vaccinated people, in a special way, and still by unvaccinated people. Distance must be maintained and personal hygiene maintained. These are just some of the goal setting shareware that you can use. “We are still in a pandemic and we have not finished it”, says Ahmeti.
For epidemiologist Isuf Dedushaj, the rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 is worrying.
He considers that if such a trend of infections continues, measures should be taken that would prevent further spread of the infection.
“People have forgotten what a pandemic was like. The only way is to increase the number of vaccination coverage. And if the enormous growth continues like this, then of course other measures must be taken against the pandemic “, says Dedushaj.
“The immediate increase, which means 100 percent, pushes to ban mass rallies and to put on masks to be mandatory in places where there is a large number of citizens. There is no other way out. “The very fact that the Delta variant has gained momentum all over the globe and the powerful states, although they have done a good coverage with vaccines, have started to apply preventive measures, in the first place the use of masks in public places”, he adds.
Measures against the pandemic in Kosovo already have been released almost completely. Also, wearing masks on the streets has become rarer.
Officials in the Government of Kosovo nor in the Ministry of Health have not given any answer as to whether they are considering the possibility of returning some measures against the pandemic.
Meanwhile, some citizens, surveyed by Radio Free Europe, have different opinions on this issue.
Gani Hoxha, 22 years old, who studies for nursing, thinks that preventive measures should be respected more by all citizens and institutions.
“There should be more preventive measures. “If they are implemented, the number of infected people will also decrease”, says Hoxha.
“I have passed the virus and I have been vaccinated and I do not go out much in rallies. This is the main reason why I do not wear a mask. I believe that they will tighten the measures, but after this phase of emigrants or tourists is completed “, says Behar Krasniqi, a citizen from Prishtina, agronomist by profession.
Meanwhile, Ardian Shala says that every citizen must decide whether to wear a mask or not and that according to him, new measures against COVID-19 are not necessary.
“I do not know what to say, but I do not think it is a good solution to tighten the measures,” says Shala.
As of August 4, 460,297 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Kosovo, while 162,807 citizens have been vaccinated with both doses of the vaccine./REL
