TIRANA – The first victim is claimed by the deadly coronavirus infection in Albania and according to official sources a 73 year-old woman infected with the Covid-19 virus passed away at the Durres hospital where she was being treated.
She was hospitalized at the Durres hospital on March 3 for serious respiratory problems suffering also from heart disease. The woman had returned home from Bologna, an affected city by the virus in Italy, landing at Tirana’s Rinas airport from where she was taken to Durres. According to medical sources, she was treated for pneumonia, and after some days her condition worsened. When the conditions got worse, she was tested for coronavirus, which turned out positive.
Her passing away happened when the number of Covid-19 cases rose to 12 on Wednesday morning in Albania where drastic measures were announced by PM Edi Rama last Tuesday evening at a government meeting.
In the meantime, the situation seems a bit hectic in a country which apparently has not been prepared to cope with an epidemic of such dangerous dimensions, and opposition is stepping up its criticism against the premier and the ruling majority for poor handling of the situation.
Given the proportion of the epidemics President Ilir Meta launched an appeal on Wednesday after the first victim urging Albanians to be cautious. He expressed his deep sorrow and condolences to the relatives of the victim.
“I call strongly on every citizen to exercise the utmost care and follow strictly advice and recommendation of the authorities,” said President Meta, who met earlier the Director of the World Health Organization Office in Tirana, Dr. Raul Gonzalez.
It was announced that Mr. Meta held a ‘constructive talk’ with Dr. Gonzalez focusing on the measures taken by the institution to cope with the coronavirus situation for reducing as much as possible the consequences of the deadly Covid-19 virus.
“There is no room for panic, but care must be taken by every citizen,” Mr. Meta was quoted as saying. “Together for the protection of the health of every citizen,” said the President./argumentum.al
