Statement by Gentiana Qirjako, Public Health Institute:

 

As part of the daily briefing on the spread of the Covid-19 infection in our country, we inform that tests were conducted on the samples of 170 suspected cases, out of which 12 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Updated data on identification of the confirmed Covid-19 cases and active epidemiological investigation and surveillance show that the epidemiological situation in Albania is stable.

The map of the new confirmed Covid-19 cases is as follows: eight cases in Tirana, two in Kamez, one in Kruja and one in Fier. Meanwhile, 23 more patients recovered in the past 24 hours, while situation of patients at two hospitals has improved over the past days.

A total of 29 patients are currently being treated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the ‘COVID 2’ Hospital, four of whom are in intensive care and no Covid-19 related fatalities have been recorded for more than 10 days.

A total of 868 citizens have tested positive for the virus since the first Covid-19 case was detected in early March and 650 of them, or more than 70% of the patients, have already recovered. The number of active Covid-19 cases is 187, mainly in Tirana, Kruja, Shkodra,  Kamez.

Meanwhile, only 15% of the infected people are hospitalized and being provided medical treatment, whereas the rest of patients are being monitored by the family doctors.

Given the current positive situation, the government has decided to further ease the lockdown measures starting May 11.

Starting tomorrow, the municipalities of Lushnja, Patos, Roskovec, Korça, Has, Kukes, Lezha, Mirdite, Fushe-Arrëz, Malesi e Madhe, Puke, Vau i Dejes, Kavaja and Vora will join the green zones or the low-risk areas list.

Citizens in the green zones will be allowed to drive their personal cars until 9:00 pm without having to apply for a permit and no more than two passengers from the same family.

In the meantime, dental clinics, beauty salons, barber shops and shops in shopping malls will be allowed to operate under strict safety protocols.

Starting May 11, the repatriated nationals will observe self-quarantine in their own homes.

With the lockdown measures gradually easing, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection urges citizens to strictly abide by the instructions from the health authorities about social and physical distancing rules and personal hygiene, and calls on businesses to rigorously comply with the safety protocols.

Everyone should show utmost care and should not neglect the Covid-19 symptoms. We urge citizens to immediately dial the National Emergency Line 127 if they suspect about Covid-19 symptoms.

For any questions about Covid-19, physiological counselling to help you with physical, emotional and other mental health-related concerns, please dial the green line 0800 40-40.

 

COVID-19 – Statistics (May 10, 2020)

Number of tests                     10438

Confirmed positive cases     868

Recovered patients               650

Active cases                            187

Deaths                                      31 (Tirana 18, Durres 6, Fier 3, Vlora 1, Shkoder 2, Kukes 1)

 

Currently, the geographical distribution of the active Covid-19 cases in Albania is as follows:

Tirana        87

Kruje          58

Shkodra     16

Kamez        11

Fier              5

Kurbin         3

Elbasan       3

Mirdita        1

Berat            1

Durres         1

Korça           1