Skopje, 1 April 2025 (MIA) — Only two new cases of Covid-19 were officially reported to the Public Health Institute between March 24 and 30, health authorities said Tuesday.  

In its latest report on the Covid-19 pandemic, the Public Health Institute said 213 samples were tested last week by laboratories performing PCR and rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 nationwide.

The report did not say how many of those tests were PCR and how many of them were rapid antigen tests. PCR tests are more expensive and accurate nearly 99% of the time, whereas rapid antigen tests are less expensive and accurate 55% to 73% percent of the time, according to studies.

Also, according to the US Centers for Disease Control, a single negative rapid antigen test cannot rule out a Covid-19 infection. It is recommended that people take two negative antigen tests, performed 48 hours apart, for individuals with symptoms, or three antigen tests, performed 48 hours apart, for those without symptoms, to make sure they are not infected.

Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers, however, tend not to get tested and spread the airborne virus.

In its report, the PHI also points out that "the decreased reporting and the small number of tested samples" have "impacted the capability of precisely evaluating the epidemiological situation."

"Vaccination remains a specific preventive measure to provide protection against severe forms of the disease, although this protective effect decreases over time," the PHI adds, acknowledging that vaccines provide only temporary protection against SARS-CoV-2. mr/