The World Health Organization (WHO) is keeping track of the situation in the Balkans to prevent the coronavirus pandemic from getting worse, WHO regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said on Thursday.

Answering a question from N1, Kluge told an online news conference that the WHO and European Commission had joined forces to reinforce technical and political aid for the Balkans, adding that he has regular contacts with the health ministers of the countries of the region.  

He said that measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic and that communication with the public has to be as clear and direct as possible. The response to the virus was good in the areas that actively entered into the fight and the best strategy against the coronavirus was to step up testing, monitoring, isolation and care but the responsibility lies with both sides, he said and added that leaders have to be pro-active including in communication which has to be clear and consistent to ensure public trust, he said.  

According to Kluge, there was some exhaustion in certain countries in the fight against the coronavirus and the WHO is identifying the causes of the exhaustion and studying social and cultural conditions to help those countries adapt. He called young people to act responsibly, warning them that no one has the right to spread the coronavirus.