TIRANA – Divided between the fear of the pandemic and the urge to return to normalcy Albanians have had plenty of information with regard to the spread of Covid-19 virus on this weekend as 6 new coronavirus cases were confirmed on Saturday bringing to 856 the total number of the infected people in this Balkan country since the formal outbreak of the pandemic on March 9, 2020.
“224 citizens suspected of being infected were tested in the last 24 hours and the lowest percentage of positive cases was recorded today with only 2.67 percent. Six citizens tested positive and three were in Tirana and three in Kruja,” said Marjeta Dervishi, expert at the Institite of the Public Health (ISHP) on Saturday.
“We have seen an improvement of the situation in hospitals as well,” she said explaining that 29 patients are hospitalized in the two COVID hospitals in Tirana and 4 are in intensive care. The recovering trend of the affected patients continues and the number of them stands at 627, according to the data provided by the local health authorities.
It was reconfirmed on Saturday that as of May 11 there will be a relaxation of the restrictive measures throughout Albania with the exception of the so called ‘high risk’ zones. The relaxed measures include free circulation of citizens and personal cars until 9 pm while public gatherings of more than five people, cultural and sport activities remain prohibited. Public transport and businesses that have been ordered to close, like malls, will also remain closed.
The above easing of the lockdown, which has been announced by PM Edi Rama, does not apply to the ‘high risk’ areas of Tirana, Durres, Shkodra, Fier, Kruja, and Kurbin. Circulation in these cities will remain restricted, with citizens needing permits to go out. Additionally, they will be blocked off by checkpoints, and no unauthorized vehicles will be allowed to enter or exit from these areas.
Meanwhile, restrictive measures will remain in place during the weekend, May 9 and 10. Similarly to the previous weekends, only elderly people are allowed out until 10 am on Saturday and Sunday. Parents and children younger than 14 years old can leave houses from 11 am to 5:30 pm on the same weekend days. The rest of the population has to stay at home with the exception of those having work permits and emergencies.
“If infected cases and number of hospitalized people remain stable, this will be the last weekend under lockdown,” said Rama. /argumentum.al
