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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Days ahead extremely important in fight against coronavirus

Belgrade, 18 March 2020

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said at a press conference today that practically from yesterday the trend of accelerating the spread of coronavirus started and that the following days are extremely important in the fight against the epidemic.

Brnabic said that this is the common view of experts dealing with the issue at the crisis response team’s meeting today.

She confirmed that there are 89 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections in Serbia to date, and that there are six citizens using respirators, expressing satisfaction with the fact that the measures introduced against the spread of the infection are generally respected.

The Prime Minister reminded that today is the thirteenth day since the virus was registered in Serbia, and that the fight against it is continuing, and that the competent authorities are preparing even more adequately and better for the coming period.

According to her, one patient in Clinical Centre Nis has been on respirator for several days due to seasonal influenza, but was subsequently tested positive to coronavirus.

Brnabic announced that she will have good news tomorrow about the availability of disinfectants and that substantial quantities will be available to citizens.

She said that we expect the first significant donation of protective equipment and other appliances from China during the weekend, which she said was provided by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The Prime Minister appealed for maximum seriousness, self-discipline, solidarity and understanding and emphasised that this is every individual's struggle for our entire society and country.

The Prime Minister pointed to the unexpected, almost unbelievable number of our citizens from abroad, who, despite all appeals, are coming to the country, and said that the act of patriotism at the moment would be to stay in the countries where they live and work.

Our appeal to them was to stay in the countries where they live, not to return to Serbia, because it is difficult to control movement, and they must be in isolation for 14 to 28 days. In that case, whatever happens, our health care system will be overcrowded, Brnabic said.

According to her, because all the appeals were not particularly successful, we now have crowds on Horgos or Batrovci border crossing, queues 15 or 20 km long, adding that 65,142 citizens living abroad who entered Serbia between 14 March and this morning at 8 o'clock.

We also have a number of returning citizens who are responsible, but it was patriotic to stay where they were, because then at least they would not burden our health system, but would be treated where they work and where they pay taxes, she stressed.

Brnabic pointed out that the Office for IT and eGovernment and the Ministry of the Interior are working together with individual companies on a special e-quarantine application, which will help the competent authorities to monitor and control in the most efficient way whether self-isolation is respected.