Tests under way for COVID-19 in Gracanica

A.R. from Pristina has read on social networks that the test is done at the “Human” laboratory in Gracanica, where most of the population is Serb, despite that personal demand testing is not allowed in Kosovo.

I read on Facebook, someone had given this information, and then I contacted them and asked them what the procedure was, but I didn't do the test”, says A.R for Radio Free Europe.

Why did she give up testing?

According to her, she gave up the test at the “Human” laboratory when she discovered that samples are sent to Serbia and that she was not sure she could cross the border with Montenegro through that test, as she planned to spend summer holidays in this state.

Montenegro wants all Kosovo citizens who want to visit this state to present a negative test for coronary.

At the “Human” lab in Gracanica on July 4th have declared for REL that some samples have been taken in this laboratory for testing for COVID-19, the disease that causes the coronary.

A doctor holds a pencil used to run a test PCR for suspected Corleone person. Picture from the archive.

According to nurse Jovica Stevic, after taking samples, they are sent for analysis to Serbia's House of Health in Nis.

“They analyse the test there and then send the result in two days”, Stevic said, and according to him, “everything is legal”.

“There were about seven or eight patients, they mainly needed testing because they would travel for Montenegro”, says Svetiqi, from the “Human” laboratory.

Reply From Nis

But, Radio Free Europe has learned from competent institutions in Nis that no one has asked to analyse samples for tests for COVID-19 taken in Gracanica and no sample from this municipality in Kosovo has been sent to Serbia.

In Serbia, testing according to personal demand or <x0) commercial player” is possible since late May, and citizens are not obliged to show the reasons why they want to be tested. The test at personal demand in Serbia costs 6,000 dinars or 50 euros.

In Kosovo, no private clinic or laboratory has permission from competent institutions to make tests PCR, to determine if the virus is active.

REL on 4 July has asked the Kosovo Ministry of Health whether it is aware that a laboratory in Gracanica is taking samples for testing for COVID-19.

From this ministry, Tuesday they told REL that the denouncing that this laboratory is involved in tests for COVID-19 has been forwarded to the Health Inspectorate.

Meanwhile, REL learns that from Tuesday, July 7th, this lab is no longer taking samples for testing for COVID-19.

Otherwise, after increasing the number of people infected with coronarys in Kosovo, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti on July 5th has said the Kosovo government plans to license private healthcare institutions to conduct tests.

What's the test? PCR?

The PCR test [Polymerase Chain Reaction] correctly determines whether the virus exists in the body and is based on the analysis of the stysos samples in the nose.

After the removal of measures to prevent the spread of the coronary disease COVID-19, many countries allowed one test to enter their territory PCR with negative results, no older than 48 hours.

Currently, in Kosovo only those who have symptoms of COVID-19 are tested.

Kosovo's National Institute of Public Health announced that by July 6th, 79 people have died from corruption, meanwhile, the total number of infected people has reached 3,703.