11,000 new tests in Albania, serial testing follows

The “Puna has not stopped for an hour of day and night to get real-time results, to analyse the entire territory of the country, to co-operate with all health institutions. We are now in about 190 active cases, which are distributed in four major circuits, but on the other hand what is needed is the continuation of testing and continuing the tracking of first circle contacts, of the second circle, just as already in the strategy approved by the Experts Committee has been determined and followed by”, Manastirliu said.

Thanks to staff for the work and sacrifice during this period, Manastirliu said that, in the reopening phase, the testing for active investigation of cases will intensify, so all capacity strengthening measures have been taken at the ISHP Reference Lab. An additional 11 thousand tests have arrived in this laboratory, financing of the Albanian government.

What's important is that this lab will continue to provide the same standard and will also be supplied, as what we've done so far is that we've been on a line with the strategy adopted even with all the recommendations of international structures. What needs now from this moment and the following is strengthening the capacity of the Public Health Institute's lab to continue and to have tests, to track and isolate any suspected case”, the health minister said.

By stopping at the Serological Tests, Minister Manastirliu stated that even in the QSUT microbiology laboratory, more than a thousand tests on health personnel have been conducted so far, assessing the technical Committee of Experts' strategy as successful.

“On the other hand, we've been following the Serology test of generating antibodies to risk groups. There are more than a thousand health personnel who conducted the Serological analysis. About 8% of them have created antibodies, so it turns out 8% of them have IG available”, Manastirliu said.

I Guide The EPS, Albana Fico said the following supply of necessary tests is under way, while the head of the infectious diseases department at I The EPS, Silva Bino, said the Senate centres are expanding and training is continuing throughout the country for tracking suspected cases.

Manastirliu appealed at this stage of reopening to increase structural alertness and improve the information system in terms of the primary system in relation to the Senate centres, in relation to active surveillance and all of the country's hospitals, to enable actual testing of cases, tracking and isolation in order for us to have prevention and restrictions on the spread of the virus.