"Only very sick people saw doctor during holidays and weekends"; Stevanovic on current drop in cases

Photo: Tanjug/Zoran Zestic

After a meeting Minister of Health Zlatibor Loncar had with the directors of hospitals in the Covid system, the director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the KSC, Goran Stevanovic, addressed the public, stating that the number of examinations in reception and triage centers dropped over the past holidays, and that this was to be expected, because people in Serbia usually wait to see the doctor until after the holidays.

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"People avoid going to the doctor, we had an expected drop in the number of examinations in the period from Dec. 31 to Jan. 8, 9. Only people who were very sick came. In the previous two or three days, the number of patients has been growing, but these are cumulative figures," Stevanovic told a press conference.

He further commented on the load on the system, stating that intensive care units are under great pressure, and that data on the number of patients on ventilators exceeding 200 speaks in favor of the fact that there are at least twice as many who may need mechanical ventilation.

However, he also said that one of the conclusions of the meeting was that the situation has finally stabilized, and that the number of patients was in balance with the number of patients who get discharged from treatment. That is why some health institutions will leave the Covid system, he said, stressing that these are spas, the Institute of Rheumatology and the Institute of Orthopedic Diseases in Banjica.

He said that an assessment has been done of the increased rate of trauma due to the conditions for walking, pedestrians and traffic.

"Most likely, during the weekend, there will be relocation of patients and disinfection (of premises)," said Stevanovic, adding, "As for other hospital capacities, further work continues in the same scope, we are yet to decide whether it will decrease or increase."

(Telegraf.rs)