Crisis HQ meets for the first time since new coronavirus strain appeared in Serbia

Photo: Tanjug/Nikola Andjic

Members of the Crisis HQ for the fight against Covid 19 started their meeting at 9 am today in the Palace of Serbia, the first since the appearance of a new, British strain of coronavirus.

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First, the epidemiological situation will be analyzed, the new strain will be discussed, as well as vaccination in our country.

There is no prospect for the moment of anti-epidemic measures being canceled, while the emergence of a new strain absolutely rules out that possibility. The only measure that can be revoked is the obligatory negative PCR test for entering Serbia for people coming from Hungary, which was announced yesterday by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who said that she would raise that issue.

Radojicic: Somewhat better in hospitals, but measures remain in force

Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojicic said last night that the situation in hospitals in the capital is somewhat better, but that public health prevention measures must remain in force until further notice.

"Compliance with the measures must be in force and at a high level. The situation is somewhat better in hospitals, but our healthcare workers are extremely exhausted. We have 4,512 people currently hospitalized with Covid. There are more of those who are recovering, but it's far from being able to relax and say that the pandemic is over," Radojicic told Kopernikus TV.

He stressed the importance of the widest possible coverage of the population with vaccination and added that he believes "the beginning of the final phase of Covid" is coming.

"Fellow citizens have recognized the importance of vaccination. Information is coming that as better information and knowledge about the disease Covid-19 grows, so does the number of people interested in vaccination. In total, over 50,000 people have been vaccinated in Belgrade as of yesterday," said Radojicic.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Sunday that a new, British strain had arrived in Serbia. He said it was brought by a woman who came from London. The same evening, Minister of Health Zlatibor Loncar said the woman was born in 1958, that she most likely became infected on the plane and that she felt problems three days after.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, coronavirus has been confirmed in a total of 390,637 people in Serbia.

According to the latest report yesterday at 3 pm, samples taken from 10,637 people had been tested over the previous 24 hours, with 1,592 positives. 21 more people died during the same time.

Currently 4,206 patients are hospitalized in healthcare institutions and temporary hospitals, of which 162 are on ventilators.

A total of 2,588,844 people have been tested in Serbia since the start of the pandemic. Covid has taken 3,965 lives so far.

(Telegraf.rs)