Director of the Institute for Public Health, Dr Boban Mugoša, said at the conference today that he was very surprised by the statement of Mr Marko carević, former president of the Municipality of Budva that “citizens accept €200 for saying they have coronavirus, and €500 for lying in hospitals”.
“I really can’t believe this. Unbelievable. I felt embarrassed, offended. I wondered why this mister doesn’t go to Berane and see people on ventilators, meet parents and parents and children of the people who died and tell them this. I am speechless”, Dr Mugoša said.
He said measures were being taken to discover on time coronavirus cases.
“The important thing is that self-isolation measures are respected. I can’t believe when I hear that somebody breached self-isolation. That means he/she doesn’t respect him/herself, and other people”, Dr Mugoša pointed out.
He reiterated that masks are mandatory, as well as maintaining safe distance and taking care of hygiene.
We must bring in tolerable measures, we can’t lock the country down again
Dr Mugoša said citizens had to adhere to all measures.
“It is difficult to bring in the same restrictive measures. Now we must adopt measures that are much more tolerable, but that also need to be adhered to”, Dr Mugoša said.
79 patients in hospital for treatment
Director of the Internal Clinic, Dr Sreten Kavarić, said that 79 COVID-19 patients had been admitted to hospital.
“Twenty-five patients are in the Clinical Center, 13 in Bar, 33 in Berane, four are in critical condition. There are eight patients in Nikšić, two of whom are getting critical”, Dr Kavarić said.
Warning
Dr Kavarić explained that 80 out of 100 infected persons could be treated at home, but 50% of the 80 show no symptoms.
“That’s good for young people who want to hang out and travel. But they can also put at risk older people and those who have co-morbidities”, Dr Kavarić says.
How many pending tests?
Dr Mugoša says that they are getting great amount of samples that are very difficult to be processed even in bigger countries.
“We have priorities. We are focusing on the most important. Number of analyses in the Institute goes beyond 10 times per day in relation to the regular period. We have enhanced our capacities. We have enough experts in laboratories”, Dr Mugoša says.
2000 tests sent to Germany
Dr Mugoša said that many countries test only people with symptoms while Montenegro “goes wider”.
“We sent 2.000 tests to Germany. So far, 23.327 tests have been analyzed in Montenegro, between 400 and 600 at daily level. We cooperate with laboratories outside Montenegro and sometimes send samples for analysis there. We are going to keep working the same way, going much wider with testing”, Dr Mugoša says.
Quarantines
“Yes, quarantines are required, especially since the epidemic is burning all around you. In order to keep the situation under control, we have got quarantines and self-isolation. Hopefully, soon we won’t need them that much. But for now, we do need them”, Dr Mugoša says.
PCR, ELISA, ECLIA tests
Dr Mugoša explained that PCR tests can’t be fund in some countries. Due to country’s opening, another two reliable tests are required, ELISA and ECLIA.
“In some cases, quarantine might last 21 days, but that refers to those who are at home treatment”, Dr Mugoša said.
Junior doctor in self-isolation
Junior doctor from the Center for Radiology is in self-isolation.
“Others who had contact with him are in self-isolation too and required to be tested”, Dr Kavarić said.
