Jul 29, 2020 UPDATE

President Klaus Iohannis to meet interior minister head of Department for Emergency Situations to assess Covid-19 situation./ Romania tops 1,000 new cases for 8th day in a row.

Newsroom, 29.07.2020, 20:00

Statement. President Klaus Iohannis told a press
conference on Wednesday that he would meet interior minister Marcel Vela and
the head of the Department for Emergency Situations Raed Arafat on Thursday to
discuss the situation generated by the novel coronavirus. The president, who
said it was imperative to keep the pandemic in check, emphasised that the
situation is very serious. He said the health ministry took the necessary steps
to purchase a vaccine for Covid-19 together with the other EU member states, if
such a vaccine becomes available. On the other hand, he believes the local
elections can be held in September unless the situation deteriorates and if
strict measures are taken. The date of local elections has been set for the 27th
of September. First due last month, they were postponed because of the
coronavirus outbreak and the mandates of mayors, heads of county councils and
local and county councillors were extended by six months.

Covid-19 Romania. The National
Committee for Emergency Situations has proposed that face masks should become
compulsory in open-air spaces during certain intervals, which are to be
established by the local authorities based on an opinion from public health
directorates. Exempt from this rule will be people carrying out intense
physical activities or who are working in areas with high temperatures and
humidity, as well as children under 5 years of age. The Committee also wants to
ban the selling of foodstuffs and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks between 11
PM and 6 AM. Outside of this interval, the places selling these products are not
to be allowed more clients than number
of available seats and must prevent activities that involve physical
interaction between clients. On beaches, people must observe a minimum
two-meter distance, with the exception of families. The Government is
considering the Committee’s recommendations and will make a decision soon.
Meanwhile, the number of new infections has topped 1,000 for the eighth
consecutive day. Some 48,200 people have been infected so far. 7,000 people are
in hospital care, of whom 377 in intensive care. 2,269 people have died.

Covid-19 world. More than 17
million people have been infected so far with Covid-19 worldwide, more than 665,000
people have died and over 10.5 million have recovered. While efforts to develop
a vaccine continue, several Governments are imposing harsher measures to
prevent a second wave of the pandemic. The World Health Organisation is urging
countries to do mass-testing and see that the population observes precautionary
measures. The United States is the worst hit country with more than 4.3 million
cases and the highest death toll in the
world. In Europe, Italy has extended the state of emergency until October 15.
Great Britain has introduced compulsory quarantine for all arrivals from Spain.
Germany too has introduced some regions of Spain on its so-called ‘black list’.
Madrid is now the latest region in continental Spain to make face masks
compulsory in open spaces as well. Bulgaria is now demanding citizens from 10
states to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test, which has to be no older
than 72 hours at the time of entry. In Greece, face masks are again compulsory
in shops, banks, public service buildings and other enclosed spaces.

National Anthem Day. Every year, on July 29, Romania
celebrates National Anthem Day. Various cultural events were held, as well as
military festivities organised by the Ministries of Defence and the Interior,
while strictly observing COVID-prevention measures. As part of ceremonies held
in Bucharest and in other big cities, the national anthem was performed during
a flag-raising ceremony. A well-known Romanian pan flute player, Nicolae
Voiculet, played the national anthem alongside 40 other musicians at an
altitude of 2,300 meters near the Heroes’ Cross on top of Bucegi Mountains.
Celebrated on July 29, National Anthem Day was first proclaimed in 1998.
Romania’s current anthem, Awaken thee, Romanian!, is considered a
national symbol after the fall of the communist regime in December 1989. Set to
music collected by folklorist Anton Pann, the anthem was inspired by a
patriotic poem by Andrei Muresanu published in 1848.

Weather. A yellow code alert for heat is in
place in the capital Bucharest and 21 other counties in southern and eastern
Romania. The physical discomfort is accentuated by the combination of humidity
and heat, with highs of 38 degrees Celsius expected during the day.