The rise in cases with Avid-19 in Kosovo: Doctors raise alarms, Government is silent

Of the 14 cases with COVIDD-19 on July 26th on August 888 cases. The epidemiological situation in Kosovo is deteriorating.

The measures against the spread of COVIID-19 are largely not being respected, and citizens' behaviour towards pandemic is negligible.

Masks and physical distance have already been forgotten.

Radio journalists Free Europe in Kosovo report that in many closed environments citizens do not wear protective masks and physical distance.

Institutions still do not indicate whether, or when, additional measures would be set to prevent the spread of the coronary.

Kosovo Government spokesman Kryeziu told Radio Free Europe that “is holding continued meetings with health experts to take their recommendations to confirm the epidemiological situation and the vaccine train”.

In the recent decision of the Government of Kosovo for general and special measures for control and prevention of COVID-19, on the 14th of July, it is said that wearing the mask, covering the nose and mouth is binding on all occasions except: during walking only in the outside environment, during driving, alone or in groups with no more than four persons, during exercise and during meals or drinking.

The decision obliges the responsibilities of public and private institutions so that at the entrance of the facilities they can place signs of entry of persons without protective masks.

However, there is a halt to controlling this arrangement and the others to make it.

Kosovo Police Report on Tuesday (10 August) reportedly imposed 5 fines under anti law - CO VID.

Along with the Kosovo Police, during the pandemic, another institution has conducted inspections of respect for measures against pandemic. She's the Food and Veterina Agency. But this agency has not conducted inspections in recent weeks due to lack of inspectors.

The spokesman, Lamir Thaci, told Radio Free Europe, that controls on the part of this agency have not been conducted since the completion of additional inspector contracts which during the pandemic were engaged by the Health Ministry.

“We simply did not have capacity for monitoring the implementation of” measures, Thaci said.

According to him, contracts for the first group of 75 additional inspectors were completed in June, while the next group of 20 inspectors ended in July.

The Ministry of Health in Kosovo in a response to Radio Free Europe says these inspectors have been with long-term contracts, and that they have been met.

Whether there will be new recruits or not, it will depend on the development of the epidemiological situation, the requirements argued by supervisory institutions and the available budget”, said the Health Ministry's response.

What do doctors say?

Kosovo microbiologist Lul Raka tells Radio Free Europe that the causes of increasing the number of cases are the speed of spreading variant Delta, neglecting preventative measures by the population, including the failure to wear masks in closed objects or public transport vehicles, gatherings and the intensifying of contacts.

According to him, there are not enough inspections by police and central and municipal inspectors for complying with the measures.

Because of the insufficient number of fully vaccinated population, the wear of a mask on closed objects, avoidance of position in crowds and restrictive measures that initially focus on unexplored persons. In the event of dramatic increases in hospitalizations and deaths, then even restrictive measures are subsequently empowered”, Raka said.

For epidemiologist Isuf Dedushaj, the rapid increase in cases with COVID-19 is disturbing.

He considers that if such an infection trend continues, measures must be taken that would prevent further spread of infection.

The “People have forgotten how the pandemic was. The only way is to increase the number of involvement in the vaccine. And if you continue to like this, then certainly other measures must be taken against pandemic”, he has told them. REL, Dedushaj.

On Wednesday, authorities have announced that the number of people vaccinated with both doses of vaccines has gone to 174.991, while the total number of vaccines given is 521,737.

The Health Ministry has launched a sensationalisation campaign to encourage citizens to respond to the communication campaign.

The World Health Organization says wearing masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to prevent the transmission of the virus and save lives.