January 26, 2019

39 people have succumbed to the flu in Romania this season/ Extreme weather has taken several counties and the city of Bucharest in its grip

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Mihai Pelin, 26.01.2019, 14:31

FLU – The Romanian Health Ministry will decide next week whether or not to declare the outbreak of the flu virus a flu epidemic in Romania, after a growing number of flu virus infections and deaths in recent times. The authorities have announced that 39 people have succumbed to the flu this season. The line minister, Sorina Pintea, on Tuesday called on the National Public Health Institute to make public data related to the situation at national level and said the ministry will declare the outbreak of a flu epidemic if reported data confirm for a third week the epidemic scale of the flu. Doctors continue to recommend vaccination as well as going to a GP when noticing symptoms similar to flu infections. As regards the suspension of classes in schools and high-schools because of the rising number of flu cases, the health minister said each school can file a request to that end, if the rate of absenteeism exceeds 20%.

WEATHER –16 counties in Romania and the city of Bucharest have been affected by freezing rain and precipitations over the past 24 hours. In Bucharest, scores of trees have been broken or uprooted because of freezing rain and tens of cars have been affected, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has announced. Electricity has been disputed because of unfavourable weather conditions, with 14,500 people being left without electricity in tens of towns and villages. Blizzard and freezing rain have prompted the authorities to request the activation of the cell with coordinating responsibilities in the domain of electricity distribution and supplying. Bad weather has also affected road traffic, several segments of highway and national roads having been closed because of icing and blizzard. Trains fail to arrive on time and many flights have delayed because of lengthy aircraft de-icing procedures on Henri Coanda Airport near Bucharest. Tens of people slipping on snow or ice have been taken to hospital for care, with injuries and bone fractures. Over 12,000 employees of the Romanian Interior Ministry, policemen, fire-fighters and gendarmes have been mobilised to intervene and support the population if need be. The sky is still overcast in Romania and precipitations are reported all across the country. The highs of the day range between minus 5 and plus 9 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was minus one degree C.

SPORT — The Romanian women’s handball champion, CSM București, is facing Gyor ETO team of Hungary, in the first group B match of the Champions’ League. The two teams are ranking first in the group, Gyor with 8 points and CSM with 6. Playing in the same group are also Vipers Kristiansand (Norway), Krim Ljubljana (Slovenia), Ferencvaros (Hungary) and Thuringer HC (Germany). In the last two seasons, CSM Bucureşti got the bronze medal of the competition, after it won the trophy in 2016. It is now playing for the fourth time in the Champions’ League. Also today, the EHF Cup holders, Romania’s vice-champions, SCM Craiova (in the south), are facing on home ground the Croatian team Podravka Vegeta Koprivnica, in Group D. Podravka ranks first with 6 points, followed by Super Amara Bera Bera (Spain) and SCM Craiova, with 2 points each. In Group A, SC Măgura of Cisnădie (in the centre) is meeting , away from home, the Norwegian team Storhamar Handball Elite. In the first three matches of the group, Magura sustained defeat. (Translated by D. Vijeu)