TIRANA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Opposition member of the Albanian Parliament (MP) Halit Valteri asked Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci to have all his fellow MPs tested for COVID-19, following the announcement that three MPs had tested positive for the virus.
"We wish a quick recovery to our colleagues and I would like to ask you (Speaker Ruci) that all MPs take the test after the last Parliament session of this season scheduled on Thursday," Valteri said.
On Tuesday, local media reported that three MPs had tested positive for COVID-19. The three MPs are in good health and self-isolated at home, local media said.
Also on Tuesday, the mayor of the capital city Tirana, Erion Veliaj, tested positive for coronavirus.
The number of new coronavirus cases in Albania has been steadily increasing in July.
Addressing Wednesday's Parliament session, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said that the country's health authorities are preparing for the autumn and winter seasons.
"We must prepare for an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections if the implementation of measures is neglected. We are working to further strengthen the national emergency medical teams in order to provide housing services to citizens who are or will be in need," Manastirliu said.
"We are strengthening our central and regional hospital capacities. We are also preparing medical teams for the opening of the third and fourth hospitals for COVID-19 patients, while we continue to increase testing capacities," she added.
On Wednesday, Albania's health authorities reported 108 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,105, with 2,830 recoveries and 150 fatalities. Enditem
