“Because we don’t have sufficiently organised testing for Covid-19, all the numbers are actually underestimated, and there are many more infected than we are catching. We expect an increased number of hospital admissions and additional bed requirements, as well as an increased number of deaths in the coming weeks. The Prime Minister’s statements about the sea and vitamin D and the subsequent attempt by politicians to deny the problem of Covid-19 are not helpful. Regardless of what a politician might think, politics must follow the measures proposed by the profession – otherwise, the disease will continue to spread uncontrollably and cause many problems,” warned former Director of the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Milan Krek.
The Slovene Chamber of Pharmacy (Lekarniška zbornica Slovenije) is urging all those infected with coronavirus not to go to pharmacies – otherwise, they will be forced to close. In case of other acute respiratory infections, visitors should wear a protective mask. Recently, employees have noticed that patients who are sick are still visiting pharmacies. They also urge all persons entering pharmacies to disinfect their hands when entering them. In the event of a positive result for coronavirus, they recommend that other people from the household who are healthy come get the patients’ medicines, adding that they can also call the pharmacies. The safety of both patients and staff must be ensured. Otherwise, pharmacies will have to be closed due to staff sick leave, reports the media outlet N1 Slovenia.
According to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), the National Institute of Public Health also notes that acute respiratory infections are on the rise – in line with expectations. At this time of year, we always see an increase in the circulation of viruses that cause infections. Rhinoviruses and coronaviruses are currently the main contributors to infections. So far, there have been no major influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. According to the National Institute of Public Health, 175 coronavirus infections were confirmed on Monday, with 495 rapid tests and 307 PCR tests. The estimated number of active coronavirus cases is 1567. The highest number of officially confirmed cases of Covid-19 is in people aged 65 years and over, followed by adults, with relatively low numbers of infections in school-age children and adolescents. The likelihood of a more severe course of the disease increases with age.
The National Institute of Public Health also warned of an increase in cases of “stomach flu” in November. Mateja Logar, an infectious disease doctor at the Department of Infectious Diseases of the University Medical Centre (UKC) in Ljubljana, also warned of a huge increase in Covid-19, according to the national media outlet Radio-Television Slovenia (it was reported on the show Odmevi – Echoes). The rise in the number of Covid-19 patients requiring hospital care is particularly pronounced this month. On Tuesday morning, there were eight patients waiting for a free bed who were infected with Covid-19. These are patients with other associated diseases. This includes those who have never been exposed to the virus, have not had the coronavirus disease before or have not been vaccinated, and those who have a more severe form of the disease. All the indications are that Covid-19 will become a seasonal disease and that it will stay with us forever, as it has adapted well to the usual situation in wintertime.
Logar also called for self-protection measures (the wearing of masks, disinfection, and staying at home in case of illness). Federico V. Potočnik, an infectious disease specialist, and Milan Krek, former Director of the National Institute of Public Health, also shared their views on the current health situation with us.
Potočnik said: “We are entering the winter period, where there are naturally more respiratory infections, including Covid-19. We can expect a greater influx of infections in family medicine outpatient clinics as well as in emergency care centres and infectious diseases wards in hospitals. As the system is already at a breaking point, the increased influx of patients may mean that we will run out of beds. People can help us by maintaining good hand hygiene, cough hygiene and, if someone is ill, as common sense dictates, avoiding contact with other people or at least wearing a protective mask. Bear in mind that a young person with a mild cold can put a sick or elderly person in the grave by transmitting the infection.”
And Krek said the following: “The increase in respiratory viruses is a feature of this time of year. Covid-19 have also been on the rise since mid-November 2023. So, this spike is not sudden, but has been trending upwards since mid-November.” If this strain of Covid-19 behaves like the previous ones, we are probably going to have to face at least another 80 days of rising infection rates. In fact, because we do not have sufficiently well-organised testing for Covid-19, all the numbers are underestimated, and there are actually many more infected people than we are catching. We can expect increased hospital admissions and additional bed requirements, as well as increased deaths. In professional circles, a rise in Covid-19 is expected at this time, and this is not something that should surprise us.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also warned of an increased risk. It is up to countries, politicians, and the profession to be prepared for these outbreaks and to react in such a way that the virus can cause as few infections and consequential damage as possible. The first step is for the profession to define the phenomenon and then propose policy measures. Infectious disease specialists have already warned of a rapid increase in the number of people infected with Covid-19 and the National Institute of Public Health, which also has specific tasks related to the infection, is now expected to react to this phenomenon. The Prime Minister’s statements about the sea and vitamin D and the subsequent attempt by politicians to deny the problem of Covid-19 are not helpful. “Regardless of what a politician might think, politics must follow the measures proposed by the profession, otherwise the disease will continue to spread uncontrollably and cause many problems.”
It is also important to keep in mind that the virus is transmitted from person to person and through infected objects. To reduce the risk of infection, there are measures that we know well and are the sensible choice right now. One of the measures is to protect the elderly, so if you are infected, do not go visit the elderly, who are at a much higher risk of complications that can be fatal. Wearing a mask is recommended in healthcare institutions and indoor areas where there are many people and if you are communicating with an infected person. Wearing a mask is an effective measure, so any debate around the mask not being effective is pointless. It is important to remember that a person transmits Covid-19 as early as two days before the first signs of the disease appear. The disease is serious, and if it becomes complicated, a visit to the doctor is urgently needed. There are reports from professional circles that in some patients, this strain of the virus has progressed to the lower respiratory tract, i.e. the lungs, and severe forms of Covid-19 can even progress into pneumonia. “I would also suggest that your doctor should record that you have contracted Covid-19, as this will save you a lot of time if the familiar measures at the border and when entering confined spaces and the vaccination certificate are reinstated.”
Domen Mezeg
