Dr. Stevanovic: The spread of the virus has slowed down, but we must keep on our toes

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian Government/Slobodan Miljevic

Dr. Goran Stevanovic, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic, says yesterday's cross-section of the number of coronavirus patients in Serbia shows that the measures introduced to curb the spread of the virus have had their effect, and that the spread of coronavirus has slowed down.

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"We expected an increase in the number of patients, because the number of tested patients has increased, but among these figures are those who are in the stage of clinical recovery and the retested patients we are preparing to release. The numbers are good so far and the important thing is that we don't relax," Dr. Goran Stevanovic has told Pink.

When it comes to the 146 people on ventilators, he says they are the most severely ill patients, whose lives are in danger and who struggle to live each second.

"We are doing everything we can to help them overcome the worst crises. According to the experience from around the world, the average time such patients spend on artificial ventilation can last longer than 6 weeks," he says.

When it comes to new hotspots, Dr. Stevanovic says our entire country is now a hotspot.

"Every day we will have a greater number of patients somewhere, and we expect that. We record in a timely manner any increase in the number of patients, record and monitor them. The only thing that could be confusing was the increased number of admissions to the General Hospital in Pancevo, which has become another Covid Center. It received more than 140 patients for further treatment, and the least of them are actually from the Pancevo region," Dr. Stevanovic explained for Pink.

Photo Tanjug/Tara Radovanovic

Speaking about whether we are still monitoring the paths of the infection, Dr. Stevanovic says it is very important to monitor that, that this is done successfully and that epidemiological services make every effort to monitor the infection paths.

"This is how we do preventative contact research," says Dr. Stevanovic.

When it comes to the nursing homes, Stevanovic says that from the very beginning it had been stressed that the oldest citizens are the most vulnerable.

"All measures have been taken to prevent the entry of the infection into the homes for the elderly, unfortunately, it happened that some users and workers got infected, and we gave detailed information at a press conference. We continue to make every effort to prevent coronavirus from entering our homes and those who have been infected are receiving hospital treatment. Measures of isolation and further epidemiological supervision and monitoring have been introduced," he said.

He points out that children suffer from milder forms of the disease, and that there are individual cases where children have had a more severe form.

"That's what's good about this whole situation. Children are a good transmitter to a more sensitive part of the population. In any case, the prescribed measures must be respected here as well, because that is what keeps us safe at the moment," he says.

When it comes to treatment, he says preventative drugs do not exist.

"The only preventative medicine would be a  vaccine that is not currently available for Covid-19. So, the only thing that can keep us safe is distancing," says Dr. Stevanovic.

(Telegraf.rs)