The True Story: Serbian Hospitals Stop Visits One After Another

Novosti reported on 21 December 2025 that the Batut Institute recorded 11,810 flu-like illness cases in one week, up 36.3% on the previous week and 75.6% on the same period last season.

Several hospitals suspended visits, including the Kragujevac clinical centre's paediatric and psychiatric clinics, the special psychiatric hospital in Vršac and every department of Vranje hospital. Dr Ivan Miladinović, Vranje's director, urged patients to wear masks and asked relatives for understanding.

The Key Lesson: Long-Stay Patients Need Extra Protection

Psychiatric hospitals, drug rehabilitation centres and physical rehab centres in Thailand have long-stay patients sharing activity and dining rooms.

• Temporary visit bans work in practice; offer video calls instead
• Some patients find masks hard, so area cleaning matters more
• Shared activity rooms are a risk, so reduce group sizes
• Staff are key carriers and must be screened every shift
• Explain reasons to relatives to reduce frustration

How Flu Spreads

According to the World Health Organization, seasonal influenza spreads easily where people gather, such as schools and nursing homes. It spreads through droplets when people cough or sneeze, and through hands that touch contaminated surfaces and then the eyes, nose or mouth. Most people recover within a week, but young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic illness are at risk of severe disease. Influenza is an enveloped virus, which suitable disinfectants can inactivate.

Risk Register for Psychiatric Hospitals and Rehab Centres

1. Outbreak in long-stay wards: likelihood medium / impact high / level high. Mitigation: Temporary visit ban, isolation and ward fogging. Owner: Director
2. Staff bringing infection in: likelihood high / impact high / level critical. Mitigation: Shift screening, masks and vaccination. Owner: Head nurse
3. Relatives upset by visit bans: likelihood high / impact low / level medium. Mitigation: Video calls and scheduled updates. Owner: Social work
4. Crowded activity rooms: likelihood medium / impact medium / level medium. Mitigation: Smaller groups and ozone treatment after use. Owner: Activity therapist
5. Patients unable to wear masks: likelihood medium / impact medium / level medium. Mitigation: More surface cleaning and ventilation. Owner: Ward nurse

7 Steps to Prevent Flu in Long-Stay Care Centres

1. Set visit-ban criteria based on the local situation
2. Offer video calls and set times for updates
3. Screen staff every shift; feverish staff stay home
4. Isolate symptomatic patients in single rooms
5. Fog wards and dining rooms when several patients are ill
6. Ozone-treat activity and isolation rooms when empty
7. Vaccinate patients and staff before the season

How ULV Disinfection Fogging Helps

The World Health Disinfection disinfection service uses ULV fogging machines that turn the disinfectant into a fine mist. It settles across the whole area, including corners, curtains, upholstery and surfaces that hand wiping cannot reach.

• Whole-area coverage without relying on wiping spot by spot
• Quick return to use, typically about 30 minutes after fogging
• Uses Chemgene HLD4H, which meets EN 14476 for virucidal activity according to the product page
• The team wears full protective equipment, so owners and staff do not take the risk themselves
• Report and photos after the job for customers, management or authorities
• Tax invoice with 3% withholding tax for companies and agencies

Ozone Treatment for Closed Rooms and Stuffy Spaces

The World Health Disinfection ozone treatment service uses machines that generate ozone gas from oxygen in the air. It suits closed rooms such as meeting rooms, bedrooms, classrooms, sick bays and vans, helping reduce germs in the air and on surfaces and removing stale odours. Ozone breaks back down into oxygen after treatment, leaving no residue.

• Works alongside disinfection fogging: spray or wipe surfaces first, then use ozone for the air and corners of closed rooms
• No people or pets in the room during treatment: the team seals the room and runs a timer
• Ventilate after treatment before normal use resumes
• Machines tested by Intertek, according to WHD's service page
• Ideal after someone has been ill, such as recovered patients' rooms, shared bedrooms and shuttle vans

Before and After

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Must patients be moved for ward fogging? A: Yes, temporarily; areas are typically usable about 30 minutes later.

Q: How is an isolation room ozone-treated? A: Treat when empty, then ventilate before reuse.

Q: Does the fogging disinfectant work on flu? A: The team uses Chemgene HLD4H, which meets EN 14476 for virucidal activity according to the product page, and influenza is an enveloped virus that suitable disinfectants can inactivate. Fogging does not replace vaccination or handwashing.

Q: Can I enter the room right after ozone treatment? A: No one should be in the room during treatment. Ventilate afterwards before normal use; the team will advise the right time for the room size.

Q: Can hospitals and foundations get a tax invoice? A: Yes. Tax invoices are issued and 3% withholding tax is supported. Call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Related Links and Sources

• World Health Disinfection disinfection service
• World Health Disinfection ozone treatment service
• Chemgene HLD4H disinfectant and price
• Influenza information from Thailand's Department of Disease Control, hotline 1422
• WHO seasonal influenza fact sheet

Prevent Flu with Disinfection Fogging and Ozone Treatment

Serbia shows visit bans are a necessary outbreak measure, alongside serious area cleaning. Reduce the risk with the World Health Disinfection disinfection service for wards, dining rooms and corridors, and the ozone treatment service for activity rooms and isolation rooms. To book, call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Call 065-556-6294 | LINE: @whd268