The pandemic situation in Albania continues to be worrying. In the last two weeks, 60 victims have been recorded, while 4,113 new cases have been identified - more than the March-July period combined.
The trend prompted health experts to advise the government to reopen the universities, which were expected to reopen auditoriums next week.
According to ministry data, in the two-week period public and private authorities conducted over 19,000 tests with an average of about 1,360 tests per day, of which the total positivity was over 20 percent.
Experts associate the high positivity with the fact that citizens, especially young people, have neglected anti-Covid measures, especially physical distancing and wearing a mask. Police, meanwhile, have reportedly fined hundreds of citizens for not wearing the mask.
Deputy Minister of Health, Mira Rakacolli said on Thursday that experts are evaluating the option to advise the ministry to close the premises after 22:00 in the most frequented area of Tirana. This is because "there is a risk of accumulation".
The pandemic situation has also plagued politics in recent weeks. The opposition has accused the government of serving "false information" and that the situation is worse.
On the other hand, President Ilir Meta asked the government on Wednesday to review the measures, but his request was met with a reply from Prime Minister Edi Rama, who insisted that these are the "decisions of the experts", that "the increase in numbers is within forecasts" and that "everything possible is being done to avoid another closure."
However, the issue has become so serious that the Minister of Health, Ogerta Manastirliu appeals to the citizens to respect the measures, otherwise, the health authorities will be forced to face a situation where they will have to select patients from those who will need it most for intensive therapy.
Exactly the increase in the number of hospitalized has been the most worrying aspect of the last two weeks.
A trend that starts from the end of July, became even more severe in the last two weeks where from 240 hospitalized, currently, the number has gone to 291 people.
The government has guaranteed that, in addition to the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Sanatorium, there are almost two other hospitals adapted to serve patients with COVID-19, while it has also prepared regional hospitals to treat the sick if the situation requires this, without sending them towards Tirana.