TIRANA – Albania will not be locked down even though the spread of the coronavirus pandemic continues unchecked causing more fatalities and spiraling numbers of infected people across this Balkan country.
But, as the Health Minister, Ogerta Manastirliu announced on Tuesday the wearing of facemasks will become obligatory for all citizens.
“It is mandatory the wearing of facemasks in closed environments. Now, the wearing of facemasks is not a recommendation anymore, rather it is a responsibility,” the Minister said in an interview with a local TV.
The Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that the situation in the Infectious Diseases Hospital continues to be very grave, where two more patients lost their lives during the last 24 hours, bringing to 97 the total number of victims since the outbreak of the disease. According to the Ministry’s daily bulletin, there are currently 90 hospitalized patients and 10 of them are in intensive care and 5 are intubated being in serious condition. The situation becomes serious as the number of infections goes up with 96 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
There is a sharp increase of infections in Tirana where 51 cases were confirmed on Tuesday while the other areas announced new cases varying from 6 to 1.
Asked on the possibility of closing borders with other countries, Health Minister Manastirliu said even though EU countries had shut their doors to Albania “our country will be open to all even with Kosovo which is in a critical situation due to the spread of COVID19”.
“We do not have any recommendation from the experts committee on the isolation of Albania’s borders with the other countries,” she said. In the meantime the Minister said it was too early to speak of the new academic school year because no predictions can be made how the epidemic will develop in autumn and winter.
Against the backdrop of what is happening a former opposition Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker said the government of Edi Rama does not have any plan to face the C19 situation.
“The government has surrendered. The outgoing Prime Minister has not added the health fund to the revised budget for a few days,” said ex- DP deputy Oriola Pampuri. “Albania needs to increase the number of tests, to increase laboratory capacities, because 4 months after the outbreak of the epidemic, it continues to work with 1 single laboratory. The lack of a strategy has made Albania one of the top 15 countries in Europe with the highest number of infected people per 1 million inhabitants.”
Further on Pampuri denounced the fact that the hospital which a month ago was inaugurated by PM Edi Rama and Health Minister Manastirliu, as ‘COVID-4’ hospital is closed. She said ‘COVID-4’ hospital is the next fraud of Rama, whose government has no plan and has already surrendered in the face of the situation with COVID-19. /argumentum.al
