"Epidemic can easily get out of hand" VIDEO

"Epidemic can easily get out of hand" VIDEO

Total number of persons tested in Serbia is 1715, while total number of confirmed cases is 528.

"Since the last address, there has been another death that can be linked to the coronavirus, so the total number of casualties is eight," says Darija Kisic Tepavcevic, Deputy Director of the Batut Institute.

We have a situation that is satisfactory in the overall unsatisfactory state, said Dr. Predrag Kon.

"We are entering the fourth week, if we compare with Italy in that period, we have ten times less intensity of the virus," he said, adding that we are similar to Wuhan.

"We have two weeks ahead that we expect to be the hardest," he says.

He reiterated Dr. Tiodorovic's words that steel discipline was necessary.

Dr Darija Kisic Tepavcevic thinks that a good job has been done so far. According to her, the number of patients will increase, and the current trend shows that we have the epidemic under control.

"The situation changes here within hours, and it can easily get out of hand," she says, adding that the key is still in our behavior and activities.

She hopes that Serbia will not need the capacity it has provided for.

"The Belgrade Fair is ready, it is a matter of time before it will start accepting patients," states Dr. Kon, while Dr. Kisic Tepavcevic states that our healthcare system still has the capacity to receive patients and there is no need for this form of accommodation.

Stricter measures are yet to be discussed, Dr. Kon states, adding that medical profession recommends measures according to the real state of affairs.

"There is still no decision to close the cities, it depends on a number of things, not just the course of the epidemic," he said, adding that the profession aims at preventing any contact, but that this is not realistic.

The rule that no one is safe from this infection is confirmed by examples here in Serbia.

"In our country, we have a confirmed case of a pregnant woman, both infants and the elderly," Dr Kisic Tepavcevic says.

They were tested for risky contact, not for symptoms.

"In more than 90 percent of confirmed cases, there was at least one chronic disease," she adds.

"Cotton masks are not effective, but they are better than no masks. They will certainly not be used at the Infectious Diseases Clinic," Dr Kon explains.

"It is one thing when you have close contact and it is clear then that the mask cannot be useful then, but if you are away, it is better to have one than not to wear any", he clarified.

Just to recall, 71 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Serbia today, while the total number of infected so far reached 528.

Sabac doctors said earlier today that a 59-year-old man had died at a General Hospital in that city two days ago who turned out to be positive for a coronavirus.

Kisic Tepavcevic, however, said there was no confirmation of coronavirus infection in the deceased man from Sabac, so according to official data, eight people have died in Serbia so far, including the latest case at the Clinical Center of Vojvodina, as a result of coronavirus.