- Title: Montenegro only European country without confirmed case of coronavirus
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: CROWD IN SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH FOR LITURGY AND PROTEST PEOPLE CROSSING THEMSELVES AND KISSING ICON DISREGARDING THREAT OF INFECTION
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 17:13
- Keywords: Balkans COVID-19 Montenegro coronavirus only European country without case
- Location: PODGORICA AND KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
- City: PODGORICA AND KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
- Country: Montenegro
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA003C4VZ7LZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: After Kosovo confirmed its first cases of coronavirus on Friday (March 13) neighbouring Montenegro is now the only country in Europe officially free of the virus.
Although some in the capital Podgorica said the lack of confirmed cases proved Montenegrins' resistance and there was not a great amount of concern in the country, others said they were taking precautions, adding they had seen people wearing masks and shoppers stockpiling food.
On Thursday (March 12) Serbian Orthodox believers taking part in one of a series of protests continued to kiss an icon in a Podgorica cathedral during a religious service.
Epidemiologist Senad Begic said Montenegro was actively screening for the virus and that the system was sensitive enough to quickly find and react to any cases.
According to Begic, Montenegro has so far tested 8.2 people for every 100,000 inhabitants, which he said made the small Balkan country "the regional leader" for performing tests.
Montenegro is barring all public gatherings, closing schools for at least two weeks, and closing border crossings with neighbouring countries to try to curb the spread of the disease, according to a statement from the country's health ministry on Friday.
The Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, which has staged mass protests against a hotly contested religion law for months, said it will temporarily halt weekly rallies throughout the country.
The former Yugoslav republic, which makes most of its budget revenues from tourism, also closed its ports and marinas for all incoming cruise ships and yachts.
(Production: Nikola Brajovic, Stevo Vasiljevic, Fedja Grulovic, Boki Babic, Lewis Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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