In July, laboratories in Montenegro registered five times more cases of coronavirus compared to June, and epidemiologists attribute the increase in the number of cases in the summer months to more frequent trips and staying in air-conditioned rooms.
Last month, 629 positive cases of coronavirus were recorded, compared to 121 the month before, while only 34 cases were registered in May.
The Institute for Public Health (IJZ) told "Vijesti" that over the past two months, there has been an increase in the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of infection.
They point out that the ability of frequent mutations, on the one hand, increases the ability of the virus to be more easily transmitted from person to person, as well as to bypass previously acquired immunity.
"The increase in the number of cases can be linked to certain circumstances, such as vacation time when people often travel and come into contact, as well as due to the fact that due to high air temperatures, they spend most of their time in closed, air-conditioned spaces, which facilitates the transmission of infection," they say. from IJZ.
5.147 people were tested for the coronavirus in July, which means that about 12 percent of the analyzed samples were positive.
Speaking about the symptoms of the virus lately, the IJZ explains that they are still sneezing, runny nose and stuffy nose, elevated body temperature, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and that many people also report exhaustion as one of the symptoms .
They also say that there is no evidence to support the fact that the symptoms of the new dominant variants of SARS-CoV-2 differ from other recently dominant circulating strains of the virus.
When asked which strain of coronavirus is currently active in Montenegro, the IJZ said that the institution currently does not have information on the dominantly circulating strain, due to the fact that the use of PCR diagnostics for infection detection has been significantly reduced.
"For the genetic analysis of the virus, samples are used in which SARS-CoV 2 infection has been confirmed by PCR diagnostics, which are then sent to European reference laboratories for this type of genetic analysis," the IJZ replied.
They advised all people who develop symptoms of respiratory diseases (cough, fever, body aches) to stay at home to reduce the possibility of transmitting the virus to susceptible people, or to wear a protective mask for the nose and mouth if they have to go out in public. (up to 10 days from the onset of symptoms or from the date of laboratory confirmation of infection if symptoms are not present).
"Based on the information available to the Institute for Public Health, no increase in the frequency of severe forms of the disease has been registered. Currently, among patients hospitalized in general and special hospitals, clinical-hospital centers and the Clinical Center, 24 infections with the SARS-CoV 2 virus have been registered, one patient has a more severe clinical form of the disease due to an already present comorbidity", announced the IJZ.
The Institute for Public Health "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut" announced at the end of last month that the European region, after a period of very low circulation of the coronavirus, has registered an increase in its activity since May, and that this is the situation in Serbia as well. However, they announced that the absolute values are still low compared to the beginning of 2024 and the same period in 2023. They said that they expect the continuation of the growing trend, taking into account the situation in the region and Europe, but they do not expect that there will be an overload of the health care system .
The Institute for Public Health of the neighboring country said that the symptoms of the currently dominant variants (the so-called Flirt variant) are the same as those of other forms of Covid-19 and that they usually appear five to six days after exposure and last from one day to two weeks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently told Radio Free Europe that the coronavirus now has a constant presence, with periodic epidemics several times a year in most populations around the world.
Although Europe is registering an increase in the number of infected people, the WHO points out that the total number of cases is still "moderately low" compared to the winter wave and the summer period last year.
There is currently no West Nile fever in Montenegro
While three cases of West Nile fever have been registered in neighboring Serbia, and a total of 52 cases in Europe, this infection, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, has not been registered in Montenegro for now.
"In Montenegro, until August 1, 8, during the monitoring season that lasts from June to November, no case of the disease was registered. The last recorded case was registered in 2024. Also, the tests so far, the presence of the West Nile virus in the vectors/mosquitoes themselves, which is carried out on the territory of the capital city, have not been established", the answer reads.
The IJZ explained that since the beginning of the year, a total of 45 samples have been tested for the presence of the West Nile virus using the PCR technique. Also, 42 blood samples were analyzed to determine the presence of antibodies to the West Nile virus.
The IJZ reminded that this virus is transmitted between birds by the bite of infected mosquitoes, while humans and other mammals are infected by the bite of a mosquito.
"About 80 WNV infections in humans are asymptomatic, while the elderly and people with weakened immunity have a higher risk of developing a neuroinvasive disease (encephalitis, meningitis and other neurological manifestations). There is no specific prophylaxis or treatment against the disease in humans, but therapy aimed at alleviating the symptoms is applied," the IJZ states.
Bonus video:
