From: Arjola Tafaj
COVID-19 Hospitalisations Decrease but Serious Cases in Young People Continue

In the last 24 hours the two COVID hospitals in Tirana have seen a decrease in the number of hospitalizations.

There have been 30 daily hospitalizations recently, compared to 70 a day at the end of February.

According to a BalkanWeb report, the decreased number of daily hospitalizations means hospitals are running at around 80% capacity. They suggested that the reduction could be to do with delays incurred by cases not being sent to Tirana. Instead, cases are being treated with family doctors and in regional hospitals.

Lately, there has been an increase in mortality and severe cases of COVID in young people. This is believed to be related to the presence of the British variant of the virus in the country.

Since the beginning of February, 3 young mothers aged 22, 27, and 32 years old have lost their lives after giving birth prematurely in COVID hospitals in Tirana. It’s believed there are another three pregnant women who are currently hospitalized with COVID.

One of the pregnant women is in critical condition and is intubated. The other two cases are considered in serious but stable condition.

Authorities have not yet published figures on the number of lives lost by COVID-19 in private hospitals, regional ones or at home.

Figures from INSTAT showed there were some 6000 “excess deaths” in 2020, an increase of over 25% of the average for the previous five years.