TIRANA – The escalation of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic has made President Ilir Meta launch a call for a new strategy to combat the disease as the number of daily fatalities and infections keeps spiraling.
Three fatalities, 71 new coronavirus, 78 hospitalized patients and 1,183 active coronavirus cases is the balance sheet of the situation during the last 24 hours as made public by the specialist of the Institute of Public Health reported, Eugena Tomini on Monday.
“The total number of infected people has reached 2964. Meanwhile since COVID-19 outbreak on March 9,” said Tomini who confessed that Albania has been recording deaths caused by coronavirus everyday during the last four weeks. The total number of fatalities stands at 79.
The increased trend of cases confirmed with COVID-19 has continued during the past week, but at the same time the epidemic has presented a higher number of cases that have been hospitalized and cases that have lost their lives.
“In the last 24 hours, 3 citizens have not been able to win the battle with the dangerous virus, among them a 69-year-old doctor from Puka, who has been fighting at the infectious disease hospital for several days. And two citizens, a 63-year-old from Lezha and a 65-year-old from Tirana, despite the efforts of doctors, could not survive,” said the ISHP specialist.
Against this threatening backdrop President said every further negligence is unacceptable and with lots of cost for public health and for the economy. According to him, the strengthening of measures for the protection of doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff is very important.
“The passing away this morning of Dr. Hysni Shkjau, who for 40 years served with dedication and professionalism to the citizens of Puka, is another great loss for our health system,” said the head of state.
Considering the growth of the number of infected people and victims as alarming, Meta thought that a new more efficient and transparent strategy is urgently needed to deal with the serious consequences of this dangerous pandemic, especially with the approach of the peak of the tourist season. “Any further negligence is not only unacceptable, but also extremely costly for the health and the economy. Therefore I reiterate my strong appeal for the importance of increasing safeguards for all doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff who are at the forefront, sacrificing, even their lives, to protect the health of every citizen.”
In conclusion Meta said it was indispensable a further strengthening of the cooperation between the central and local authorities in order to check the further spread of these cases and to raise the awareness of citizens to comply with all instructions made public.
In the meantime, PM Edi Rama continues to keep silent on what is happening which, as some analysts claim, is very suspicious because he used to speak 3 to 4 times a day on the disease and the ‘war’ against the virus being the focus of every action. /argumentum.al
