A shop owner is seen in his curtain shop in Tirana, Albania, May 7, 2020. Over 90 percent of lockdown measures imposed by the Albanian government to prevent the spread of coronavirus will be eased by May 18, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday. (Photo by Arben Celi/Xinhua)
TIRANA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Over 90 percent of lockdown measures imposed by the Albanian government to prevent the spread of coronavirus will be eased by May 18, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday.
Rama held an online meeting with the Technical Committee of Experts to discuss the situation the country is going through due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he was briefed on the latest developments in the country.
According to Rama, it is important that people continue to follow simple rules for the country to avoid being hit by a second wave of the virus.
A concern, Rama noted, is the public transport by bus and minivan, on which authorities are looking for a solution.
Tritan Kalo, a well-known doctor in Albania on infectious diseases, said during the meeting that Albania is "at optimal parameters regarding the evolution of the disease," underlining that the situation can remain like this if rules continue to be observed.
"There will be no return of COVID-19 in the season of fall, but there will be simply COVID-19 mixing with other respiratory infections of the season," Kalo said.
The Technical Committee of Experts rejected the claims that COVID-19 has circulated in Albania prior to March 9, when the first two positive cases were reported by health authorities.
The Committee suggested continuing with the strategy of gradual reopening, but authorities must follow the epidemiological situation very carefully.
Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ogerta Manastirliu, said that Thursday is the 9th day without reported COVID-19 deaths in Albania, emphasizing that the strategy of health experts has worked.
Deputy Health Minister Mira Rakacolli, who is also Chairwoman of the Technical Committee of Experts, informed that currently in Albania there is an average of 11 positive cases per day and 30 hospitalizations.
According to the experts, over 250 COVID-19 patients have been treated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital so far, of which 170 have recovered.
The Committee, which was set up on Jan. 31, consists of 11 members who report on a regular basis to the health minister on the situation of coronavirus pandemic.
Health authorities reported 10 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, raising the total number of confirmed cases in Albania to 842, with 605 recoveries and 31 fatalities. Enditem
