October 1, 2021 UPDATE

A news update

Newsroom, 01.10.2021, 21:02

Fire – A strong fire broke out on Friday at the ICU of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Constanţa (southeastern Romania), resulting in 7 deaths. The entire hospital was evacuated, and the patients were transferred to other health units in the county. A criminal investigation into negligence and man slaughter has been opened in this case. Dysfunctions and irregularities regarding the fire alert system had been identified in this hospital during two previous controls, says the Interior Minister Lucian Bode. Sanctions were imposed, but the problems were not remedied. The Romanian PM Florin Cîţu asked for the dismissal of the manager of the Constanţa Infectious Diseases Hospital and dismissed the president of the National Authority for Quality Management in Healthcare. This is the 10th fire in less than 12 months to take place in one of Romania’s hospitals, many of which are COVID units. Similar tragedies occurred at the end of last year, at the County Hospital in Piatra Neamţ (northeast), and at the beginning of this year at the Matei Balș Institute in Bucharest. Both incidents resulted in deaths and injuries among patients treated for Covid 19 in intensive care. Controls launched at Romanian hospital units showed that some of them do not have a fire safety certificate.

Aachen – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, stated on Friday, in Aachen, during a debate, that the European Union must go through a deep integration and that he does not believe in eliminating countries from the bloc, as he likens the EU to a family. President Iohannis also said at the accession of candidate countries from the Western Balkans should be accelerated. Iohannis spoke of Romanias neighbors – Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova – as ‘states that want to move things together with us.’ The Romanian head of state is present in Germany in the context in which, on Saturday, he receives the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen – For the Unity of Europe.

Covid Ro — The Romanian authorities announced, on Friday, almost 10,900 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection out of over 67,000 thousand tests. 169 COVID-associated deaths were also reported, most in unvaccinated people. All deaths were in patients with other health conditions. The number of hospitalized people also continued to increase. At present there are over 12,500 hospitalized people, 5,500 more than one week ago. 1,391 people are in intensive care.

Measures – The National Committee for Emergency Situations has decided that it is mandatory to wear a protective mask in all indoor and outdoor public spaces when the infection rate for a period of 14 days exceeds 6 per thousand inhabitants. Regardless of the aggregate incidence rate, the Health and Education Ministries can allow the physical participation of all children in classes. On the other hand, shops will close at 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays if the Covid-19 incidence exceeds the threshold of 6 per thousand inhabitants and at the same hour in the rest of the week, if the infection rate in the respective locality is higher than 7.5 per thousand, the National Committee for Emergency Situations has also decided. Restaurants, performance halls and gyms will not close when the incidence reaches 6 per thousand inhabitants, but they will be able to operate at only 50% of their maximum capacity. Access will be allowed only to vaccinated people or people who have recovered from the disease. The rule also applies to private events, such as weddings or baptisms.

Pandemic – The Romanian Committee for Emergency Situations has updated the list of countries and territories of high epidemiological risk. Romania has joined the red zone, along with the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Armenia, Belarus and Greenland. Following the drop in the incidence rates, Austria, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Iran, the Maldives and the Bahamas are now in the yellow zone. The green zone now includes, among other countries, the Netherlands, Germany and France. Those vaccinated against COVID-19 would not be quarantined if they come from yellow or red list areas. The committee has decided to exempt from the quarantine measure the drivers of goods and passenger vehicles if they provide a negative RT-PCR test result. The new list takes effect on October 3.

UK – As of October 1, EU citizens will need a passport to enter the UK, showing that they came to work, study or as tourists. Identity cards are no longer accepted as valid travel documents following Brexit. Nearly six million EU citizens, who were in the UK on 31 December 2020, were eligible to apply for residency and over 90% of them have received it. In their case, the identity card will continue to be accepted as a travel document until January 1, 2026. The new immigration system introduced this year means much more border controls, because the EU citizens no longer enjoy freedom of movement. According to the British newspaper “The Guardian”, in the first six months of the year, 7,249 European citizens were stopped at the Great Britain’s bordres and 60% of them were from Romania.

Football — Romania’s football champions, CFR Cluj (northwest) ended in a draw 1-all the match played on Thursday, on home turf, against the Danish team Randers FC, in Group D of the Europa Conference League. In the other match of the group, the Dutch team AZ Alkmaar defeated Jablonec, from the Czech Republic, at home, 1-0. CFR ranks last in the group and will play the next match against Alkmaar, in Cluj, on October 21. CFR Cluj is the only representative of Romania in the continental competitions. (LS)