KS Crisis Staff: No recommendation for banning public gatherings or closing schools

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Crisis Staff of the KS Ministry of Health stated at today's session that, for now, considering the recommendations of the World Health Organization which are revised daily, and in line with the current epidemiological situation in Sarajevo Canton, where to date not a single positive case has been registered, and also taking into account the measures taken by neighboring countries, there are no
recommendations for banning public gatherings, closing faculties, schools, and kindergartens, or canceling previously planned events.

Students, pupils, and children with symptoms of respiratory tract infection should not attend classes or go to kindergartens. Persons belonging to risk categories, chronic patients, persons with existing respiratory problems, or the elderly should certainly avoid public gathering places. Organizers of public gatherings and events, which include participants coming from countries particularly affected by the Corona virus infection (China, South Korea, Iran, Italy) should be aware that the aforementioned persons are obliged to spend 14 days in isolation immediately upon entering our country.

“We emphasize that these recommendations can be changed at any moment, in accordance with the development of the situation on the ground. This could even happen today, as it is impossible to predict the further development of the situation both in Sarajevo Canton and Bosnia and Herzegovina. For adequate public information, it is necessary for the population to follow the recommendations of the KS Crisis Staff and adhere to them,” it was stated today.

The contacts and reactions of all institutions in the chain of detection and treatment of patients with Corona virus are continuous, 24 hours a day.

“We are prepared in case of the virus appearing to provide care for people from an epidemiological perspective, we have the personnel, the isolation ward, there is no need to spread panic, but the problem of this epidemic should not be minimized either. According to information from the Crisis Staff, there is currently a sufficient quantity of equipment and medicines, but protective equipment and tests for the disease are still being procured,” it was emphasized today.

Currently, nothing is lacking for the care of the sick, it was stated from the University Clinical Center Sarajevo, where a fully equipped isolation ward for the most severe patients is ready. In case of a larger number of patients, it will be necessary to involve other institutions in the health care of the sick. The key is epidemiological control of the sick in order to prevent the spread of the virus, which
the Public Health Institute has been doing well so far, is the common assessment.

From Health Centers, they announce that they have provided a sufficient number of separate rooms for cases suspicious of this virus near the entrances to their central facilities. The mayors of Sarajevo municipalities have provided financial support for the procurement of protective equipment for Health Centers, which have announced the availability of additional phone numbers that will be published soon.

According to the president of the Crisis Staff, Dr. Aida Pilav, there is local transmission of the virus in 38 European countries, while 31 people are currently under supervision in our country, and since the official appearance of the virus, surveillance has been carried out on almost 400 people.

“All our activities are in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the recommendations of the FBiH Crisis Staff. We have our algorithm for the actions of everyone in the chain, which we are certainly adapting and updating, considering the changes in the environment and globally. It is important that all health institutions provide us with their precise crisis plans so that the patient's journey and the institutions' actions are best coordinated,” said Dr. Pilav.

Attention is once again drawn to all persons who have stayed in countries where there is an epidemic of coronavirus in the past 7 to 14 days, with an emphasis on Italy, to contact the KS Public Health Institute via their duty phones.