Coronavirus Epidemic at Large, Rising Infections at Schools in Albania

Covid infection figures in Albania continue to be frightening.
According to the Ministry of Health, in the last 24 hours, 3 patients have lost their lives, while 131 people have tested positive over the last 24 hours.
“The reopening of schools increases the possibility of rising cases, so once again we ask especially parents and teachers to be careful,” said Rovena Daja from the Institute of Public Health on Tuesday. “In case of symptoms or suspicion of contact with affected persons, parents should not send their children to school and teachers should be isolated, as should all citizens who are not only confirmed, but also suspected of being affected by the SARS COV2 virus.”
But Daja did not mention any concrete cases of infections at schools which were reported by some media from time to time.
At least 65 teachers have been confirmed as having COVID-19 since schools opened on September 14.
The actual number of cases is expected to be far higher as many teachers who have been tested have not had their results yet. Others are waiting to be tested.
At the time of writing, these cases of infections are confirmed: 5 teachers in Bulqiza, 8 teachers in Berat, 4 teachers in Poliçan, 12 teachers in Erseka, 9 teachers, educators and sanitary workers in Saranda,
3 teachers and educators infected in Delvina, 2 teachers in Vlora, at least 10 teachers at the ‘Jeronim De Rada’ school in Tirana, at least 5 infected students in the school ‘Petro Nini Luarasi’ in Tirana, at least 3 teachers infected in the ‘Ismail Qemali’ school in Tirana,1 teacher in Gjirokastra,
1 teacher in the school 17 February in Tirana, 2 teachers at the institute for deaf children in Tirana.
The Ministry of Education has not made any statements on the situation of infection in schools.
Prior to the start of the school year, the Ministry published guidelines for teaching in schools but it had a number of shortcomings and did not guarantee compliance with measures such as social distancing and personal hygiene.
Furthermore, at least 30% of Albanian schools do not have running water so are unable to implement adequate personal hygiene protocols. /argumentum.al