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PANDEMIC AND 2020 DIDN’T STOP US

V!"# D$%#&!', M#&() P$*!'# Academy’s web site, thus contributing to better under- stading of the whole situation. A great deal of research has been carried on all over the n spite of the two recent disasters – COVID-19 world in order to get more insights about this new dis- pandemic and strong earthaquake in Zagreb, ease. In this issue we publish the review „COVID-19 having the enormous impact to everyday life, pandemic – neurological aspects of the disease” which we prepared for you a new double issue of our provides a comprehensive summary of the main clin- RADI medical sciences 50-51. ical and neurological manifestations of this new in- Activities of everyday life have almost stopped for fectious disease. (e main clinical manifestations of many persons in our country and all over the world, COVID-19 are related to respiratory system, but neu- but resarch and science could not be stopped! rological symptoms and diseases are also possible due to As you know COVID-19 disease has started in De- neuroinvasive potential of the virus. Most COVID-19 cember 2019. (e new coronavirus, not known until cases experience mild clinical symptoms and recover than under the name SARS-Co-19-2 was identi)ed as without complications, but 5% of cases need intensive a cause of the disease. Disease has spread rapidly all care treatment. (e most common neurological symp- over the world, causing immeasurable health and eco- toms are headache, dizziness, hyposmia and hypoge- nomic challenges. usia. Neurological diseases which are associated with World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 are stroke, encephalopathy, meningoen- global pandemic on March 11th 2020. (e )rst pa- cephalitis, and Guillain Barre syndrome. Preventive tient with COVID-19 in was diagnosed on measures are the most e+ective for containment of February 25th. COVID-19. Even before that, on February 14th Department of In the context of prevention and seriousliness of pan- Medical Sciences of our Academy together with Cro- demic, Croatia have long history which lead the past to atian Society for Biosafety and Biosecurity and the 1377 when Dubrovnik’s (known in that time as City University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Ragusa) Great Council passed a ground-breaking law Mihaljević” organized the symposium “New Corona- to prevent the spread of the pandemic requiring all in- virus from China: Biosecurity (reat and Challenge coming ships and trade caravans arriving from infected for Health Care Professionals”, catching extreme atten- areas to submit to 30 days of isolation. !e legislation, tion of many colleagues and other health professionals. Veniens de locis pestiferis non intret Ragusium vel distric- More data about this symposium could be found in the tum (engl. “(ose arriving from plague-infected areas News and Education part of this issue. shall not enter Ragusa or its district”), stipulated that On March 17th members of Croatian Academy of anyone coming from pernicious places must spend a Sciences and Arts published the Statement related month in the nearby town of Cavtat or the island of to COVID-19 pandemic, which can be found at the Mrkan for the purpose of disinfection before entering

RAD 543. Medical Sciences 50-51 (2020) : 1-2 www.rad-med.com 1 July 2020 - Vol 543 = 50-51 E!"#$%"&'

the medieval walled city. In recent history we have great museums, galleries are severely destroyed. (is material professor and medical doctor Andrija Štampar, his damage would be repaired, sooner or later. As it was grandiose hygiene-epidemiology, prevention-prophy- done after the big earthquake that happened in 1880. laxis and important curation program in organization But repairing of our “mental damage” would need of health measures and activities in former Yugoslavia much more energy, con)dence, trust and beliefs. Doc- countries and even wider in Europe was of high rating tors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care provid- and quality. Even today, Štampars ideas and programs ers were devotedly working days and nights reducing are stil actual and highly cited in modern medicine, the devastating consequences of COVID-19 disease. especially due to the actual pandemic. And now, after putting the virus under control, the work is not over! (ere is a huge need to repairing peo- We are all aware that strong earthquake, that hit Za- ples’ mind, to replace the fear with hope and to restore greb in early morning of March 22nd caused enormous the inner peace. damage. Material damage is huge, many buildings are destroyed, among them the Palace of our Academy, as And during all that time of torments and worries scien- well as its Library and the Glyphotheca, leaving us in tists are intensively engaged in trying the )nd the an- fear and disbelief. Many people still don’t have the swer how to proceed for better and deal with the virus. place to live, schools, universities, hospitals, theatres,

Figure 1. Lobby of the Palace of the Croatian Academy of Figure 2. Lobby of the Library of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Sciences and Arts

RAD 543. Medical Sciences 50-51 (2020) : 1-2 www.rad-med.com 2 July 2020 - Vol 543 = 50-51