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Updated July 8th, 2020 at 22:41 IST

New virus cases increasing in Kosovo

Doctors and medical technicians went on strike on Wednesday in Sarajevo Canton, as the profession undergoes salary negotiations amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

New virus cases increasing in Kosovo
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Doctors and medical technicians went on strike on Wednesday in Sarajevo Canton, as the profession undergoes salary negotiations amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

New virus cases in Kosovo are increasing every day, with 8,886 new cases and 82 new deaths on Wednesday.

Authorities have blamed the spike in cases on citizens not respecting social distancing guidelines, not wearing masks, and not washing their hands.

Local authorities in the northern commune of Vushtri fined one of their medical staff 1,000 Euro (1,130 US dollars) for violating the self-quarantine after being diagnosed as positive.

The region still has restrictions such as mandatory masks in public spaces, outside-only dining and a nightly curfew to tackle the coronavirus crisis, but authorities still fear hospitals may not be able to cope with such a daily increased influx of new cases.

While the health workers in Sarajevo Canton have been busy with coronavirus for the past four months, old problems have returned in the form of an unsigned new branch collective agreement (new agreements and salary increases).

The strike, which began in September last year, comes as a large number of medical workers are leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, prompting worries about the region's ability to carry out coronavirus trials and testing.

With the lifting of the measures that were in force in the past period, there was an increase in the number of people suffering from COVID-19, both in Sarajevo and in the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 248 people have been infected with coronavirus in the last 24 hours and two have died in the last 24 hours.

Opponents have blamed the autocratic Serbian leader President Aleksandar Vučić of contributing to the spike in deaths and new cases after he lifted the previous lockdown measures.

They say he did that to cement his grip on power after parliamentary elections held on June 21, claims he has denied.

On Wednesday, Vucic appeared to backtrack on his new lockdown plans that were to take effect during the coming weekend.

(Representative Image)

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Published July 8th, 2020 at 22:41 IST

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