Seasonal influenza in the laboratories of the Institute of Public Health (IJZ) was confirmed in 178 patients this winter, and until Friday, according to the institution, no deaths caused by influenza virus infection were reported.
IJZ replied to "Vijesta" that the first case of influenza was registered in November and that since then 710 people have been tested for the presence of the influenza virus.
They also stated that epidemiological surveillance of influenza, acute respiratory infections and flu-like diseases is carried out between the 40th calendar week of one year and the end of the 20th week of the following year.
"During that period, the geographical distribution, intensity of activity and trend of contracting the aforementioned diseases are intensively monitored, analyzed and published, including laboratory tests, i.e. the trend in the number of confirmed cases of influenza and other epidemiologically significant parameters", the IJZ answered to the question that Is this institution carrying out epidemiological surveillance of the flu this year?
IJZ, unlike institutions of this type in the region and Europe, does not publish weekly reports on epidemiological surveillance of influenza. Such a practice existed in Montenegro before the coronavirus pandemic.
The Serbian Institute for Public Health "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut" regularly publishes reports, so the day before yesterday it informed the public that in the sixth reporting week, a total of 13.471 cases of flu-like illnesses were registered, with the highest frequency of occurrence in ages up to four, then from five to fourteen years . That institution registered all three types of influenza virus - AH1(pdm09), AH3 and type B, with the predominance of the AH1(pdm09) subtype. They also announced that five cases of simultaneous infection with flu and coronavirus were registered on the territory of Belgrade.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health also publishes reports on a weekly basis, and by February 19, 30.904 flu patients were registered in that country. They also state that 14 deaths were reported due to flu and complications, as well as that virus A predominates in 79 percent of patients, while 21 percent of those infected have influenza type B.
The Montenegrin IJZ replied to "Vijesta" that the type A virus was registered among the laboratory-confirmed cases.
In recent weeks, health centers in Montenegro have had an increased number of patients with symptoms of respiratory infections.
Several institutions told "Vijesta" that two respiratory viruses dominate, as well as that the number of patients with confirmed coronavirus infection has increased in recent days.
Selected doctors claim that the symptoms of coronavirus and seasonal flu are very similar and that a large number of patients have inflammation of the nasopharynx and pharynx, high body temperature up to 39 degrees Celsius, weakness, muscle pain and severe bone pain.
According to the information provided by the IJZ, there were 720 active cases of coronavirus in Montenegro on Friday, of which more than half (410) were in Podgorica, and 103 in Nikšić. On Thursday, February 23, 96 new positive cases were registered, i.e. 11 percent of those tested.
In the second half of January, the first case of infection with the new, cracked strain of coronavirus was registered in Montenegro, and the IJZ clarified that it is a highly contagious subvariant that, however, does not cause more severe diseases, and which was registered in October in the United States of America.
The IJZ previously replied that by January 18, a total of 684.091 doses of vaccines against covid were given, of which 293.721 were the first, 285.938 were the second, 102.479 were the third, 1.944 were the fourth and nine were the fifth doses.
Officials are appealing to citizens to get vaccinated, especially if it has been a long time since the last dose, and they have not suffered from covid-19 in the last three to six months. The vaccine is recommended for all people over the age of 12 who have not been vaccinated, especially people over 60, chronically ill people, people with weakened immunity, as well as pregnant and lactating women...
Some health centers ran out of antibiotics, even though the clinics were full of patients with symptoms of respiratory infections in the previous days.
Several institutions told "Vijesta" that they do not have the antibiotic Lendacin (Longacef), which is why they send patients to pharmacies to buy the medicine themselves, while stocks in other institutions are running low.
From "Montefarm", which supplies 18 health centers, all general hospitals and the Clinical Center with these drugs, they claim that they expect to replenish the stock at the end of this month.
They said that from January 1 to February 23 of this year, 60.080 ampoules of Ceftriaxone and Lendacin (Longacef) were delivered and that, compared to 2022, the current consumption trend of these two drugs shows an increase of 20 percent.
They emphasized that at the beginning of last year there was a high degree of transmission of the coronavirus, where therapy with these antibiotics was often used in the treatment of patients with a more severe form of covid-19.
"Montefarm" also said that, according to the supplier's latest announcements, 65.000 ampoules of antibiotics should be delivered on Tuesday.
Immunization at approximately the same level as last year
The IJZ replied to the "News" that, according to the data of the electronic immunization register in the 2022/2023 season, as of February 20, 2023, a total of 16.849 doses of flu vaccine were given.
That, they claim, is at approximately the same level as the previous season.
"We especially emphasize that people over 65 years of age, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases and a weakened immune system, whether congenital or acquired, and health workers are at risk of complications of infection, hospitalization and death. That is why it is strongly recommended that these people be protected every year with the most effective and safest way, vaccination", said the IJZ.
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