June 5, 2020 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 05.06.2020, 20:38

COVID Another seven people have been killed by
the new coronavirus in Romania bringing the death toll to 1315, the authorities
have announced on Friday night. The deceased are five women and two men with
ages between 69 and 85. Romania has so far confirmed over 20,100 infections out
of which more than 14,100 people have been cured and left hospitals. 3,100
Romanian nationals have been infected abroad and 114 died. Health Minister,
Nelu Tataru has reiterated that the use of masks in indoor public areas and transportation
vehicles is compulsory. The Romanian official went on to say that prevention
measures would remain in place until there is no more community contagion.

REPATRIATIONS 155 Romanian nationals, three Spanish and
one from the Republic of Moldova, who were on Spanish territory, returned to
Bucharest on Friday night. The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest explained in a
communiqué that some of those repatriated were unable to prolong their stay in
Spain. The Ministry has underlined the importance of checking prior to any
departure of the information posted on its site as well as the travel alerts or
the webpages of Romania’s diplomatic missions and consulates abroad.

SMEs The
Romanian Government has adopted the methodological norms for the implementation
of the Emergency Ordinance that improves the IMM
Invest Program for small and medium-sized enterprises. According
to the Finance Minister Florin Citu, this program is running well, and some 520
million Euro have been used so far to support more than 3 thousand companies.
He has also said that the program can support a maximum of 40 thousand
companies, and, if need be, at the next budget adjustment more money will be
earmarked for the program. Also, a memorandum was adopted, on the basis of
which the normative acts for the implementation of a similar program for big
companies will be drawn up. This program might come into force within a month.
The Executive has also adopted a Decision allowing the purchase of new
equipment for the National Disaster Response System, such as boats,
helicopters and extrication equipment. The amount allocated is 660 million Euros,
of which 84.4% provided by the EU.

SURVEY
Three hospitals in Romania
have been included in a survey called Solidarity, which is carried out by the
World Health Organization over the treatment schemes for Covid infections. The
project, which involves the participation of the Central Military Hospital, the
Matei Bals Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Victor Babes Hospital for the
Treatment of Infectious Illnesses, is being coordinated by doctor Alexandru
Rafila, one of the best Romanian experts in the field. During the survey, four
treatment schemes, which proved the most successful in the treatment of the
disease, are going to be applied. The patients are to be randomly selected on
several criteria like age, associated pathology and comorbidity. The project
is aimed at finding the best treatment scheme, which is to be recommended at
international level.