Chinese experts just made new forecast for Serbia: It's all reminiscent of the situation in Wuhan!

We must listen to their advice - that's why they came here

The coronavirus epidemic in Serbia is currently under control and the infection rate is at a stable level, say Chinese experts engaged in the fight against Covid-19, who are currently in Serbia - noting that this is confirmed by the ratio of the number of cases tested and the registered number of positive cases.

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They also point out that the occurrence of Covid-19 in closed-type nursing homes and healthcare institutions shows that rigorous implementation of the prescribed measures to combat the epidemic is necessary.

Sacrifice yor personal freedom

In an interview with Tanjug, Chinese experts point out that the measure of restricting free movement is needed in the current situation and that everyone should "sacrifice" their personal freedom for the sake of "a healthy and free life in the future" - while also expressing their belief that combating the epidemic will be significant contributed to by the fact that Serbia, thanks to a donation from China, has received two of state-of-the-art laboratories for the detection of Covid-19.

Deputy Chief of Emergency Services of the First Affiliated Hospital at Sun Yat-sen University Xiong Yan says that since arriving in Serbia, a team of Chinese experts have been monitoring the infections and the death toll published daily by the Crisis HQ, especially where the largest hotspots are, as well as the ratio of the number of tested and confirmed cases.

That ratio is now below 20 percent, which, says Xiong, indicates that the rate of those infected is at a stable level - that is, there is no accelerated growth of people getting sick.

"Judging by the current information and the measures taken, it can be said that the epidemic is under control at the moment," Xiong said in an interview with Tanjug.

It's all reminiscent of Wuhan

The number of those tested has increased significantly over the last few days, with more than 400 positive cases being registered on a daily basis, and the current epidemiological situation in Serbia, Xiong says, is reminiscent of the situation in Wuhan when the epidemic "swept up" the town at one point - but was subsequently brought under control.

"In Serbia, the number of tested cases is increasing, but the percentage of confirmed cases is decreasing and that is good. But the numbers are not the most important, instead, it's to detect the presence of coronavirus in as many infected people as possible as soon as possible and to achieve better control and prevent the entry of coronavirus from nursing homes, hospitals...," Xiong stressed.

The head of the Chinese expert team delegation, Peng Zhiqiang, believes that the fact coronavirus has entered nursing homes, neuropsychiatric clinics and other health care institutions is an indication that, as he says, these institutions need stricter implementation of the measures and that it is important to detect and isolate the infected persons and so prevent the infection from entering there.

With each virus, he says, it is important to control its spread and break contact with the source or reservoir of infection, which is why it's important for patients with a milder clinical picture and those who have no symptoms of infection to be detected as early as possible, that is, to be tested and isolated.

Isolation is the most important form of treatment

Patients with a mild clinical picture and those who do not have symptoms do not require special treatment and, for them, says Peng, often the best therapy is - isolation.

"For any infectious disease, the rule is that the source of the infection should be controlled, its inflow stopped and the vulnerable groups protected. These are the three elements that should be applied to any infectious disease," Peng underlined.

Asked if the warm and sunny weather could affect Covid-19 and possibly reduce the number of those infected, Peng says it's a brand new coronavirus that little is known about - but that is has been reported to be transmitted more easily and faster in colder areas.

However, it is now also appearing in countries with warmer wehather, which tells us how "cunning" this virus is. It's true it likes "colder" climes -  but warm wheather also suits it, so there's now the  possibility in can also be transferred in higher (air) temperatures, Peng said.

(Telegraf.rs)