October 2, 2021 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 02.10.2021, 20:00
COVID-19 – A new record-high number of
COVID-19 infections was reported on Saturday, 12,600 out of 79 thousand tests,
the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Saturday. 184 related deaths
were also reported. 12,740 people are now being treated in hospitals for
COVID-19, of whom 1,400 are in intensive care. The large number of infections
reported in the last two weeks has placed 21 counties in the red zone, where
the incidence rate exceeds 3 per thousand inhabitants reported in last 14 days.
In Bucharest, the incidence rate stood at 8.28 per thousand on Saturday. Over
30 cities and 200 villages have reported an incidence rate above 6 per
thousand. Medical units across the country are overrun with patients needing
urgent medical treatment. Patients have to wait several hours due to
overcrowding and complicated admission procedures, and ambulance services
sometimes take 48 hours to reach patients. The abrupt increase in the number of
infections has boosted the vaccination process, with tens of thousands of
people taking the jab every day. In another development, an anti-restrictions
protest was staged on Saturday in Bucharest.
RESTRICTIONS – The Government on
Saturday adopted the measures proposed on Thursday by the National Committee
for Emergency Situations aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures
include the mandatory wearing of face masks both indoors and outdoors in towns
where the incidence rate exceeds six per thousand inhabitants. Schools will
remain open irrespective of the incidence rate and will move to online classes
only when COVID cases are reported. Non-invasive tests are now allowed to be
used in schools, while people who have taken the anti-COVID shot will be
allowed access to enclosed and open venues, irrespective of the incidence rate.
People who’ve had the disease or who got vaccinated will be allowed to take
part in cultural and sports events up to 50% maximum capacity. Private events
such as weddings, baptism parties and festive events will be available to a
maximum of 200 vaccinated people or up to 50% of the venue’s maximum capacity.
Stores will close at 10 PM on weekends in towns and villages where the
incidence rate exceeds 6 per thousand and the entire week if the incidence rate
exceeds 7.5 per thousand. In the latter case, unvaccinated people will have to
observe a nighttime curfew as well.
CHARLEMAGNE
– President Klaus Iohannis, who is currently on a visit to Germany, on Saturday
was awarded the Charlemagne Prize for services brought to European unity. Upon
receiving the award, president Iohannis said that finalizing Romania’s Schengen
accession should be a priority for the EU, not just Bucharest. Romania is one
of the countries that for the last 10 years has been a de facto member of the Schengen Area, the president said. Klaus
Iohannis was awarded this prize for his key role in promoting European unity
and building bridges between Western and Eastern European societies, and for leading
Romania to espouse a pro-European policy committed to the rule of law. The Charlemagne
Prize was previously awarded to such great figures as Winston Churchill, Henry
Kissinger, Pope Francis, Vaclav Havel, Angela Merkel or Pope John Paul II. In
2018, the award went to French president, Emmanuel Macron, and in 2019 to UN
Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
2020 WORLD
EXPO – Romania’s participation at the 2020 World Expo hosted by Dubai
provides a good opportunity for improving our country’s standing at
international level and for strengthening cooperation with the United Arab
Emirates in fields of mutual interest, such as economy, trade, culture,
education and tourism, the general commissioner of Romania’s delegation to 2020
Expo Dubai, Ferdinand Nagy, said on Friday night on the sidelines of the event
opening Romania’s pavilion. Our country’s pavilion is designed around the new
nature concept. According to Ferdinand Nagy, one of the strengths of Romania’s
pavilion is our country’s tourist potential, at the same time highlighting
Romania’s outstanding natural resources, its variety, beauty, importance and
water resources. Moreover, Romania’s pavilion focuses on the environment,
trying to boost business dialogue by means of a series of dedicated events,
focusing in key sectors such as innovation in the field of IT&C,
technologies, agriculture, industry, aeronautics, mineral resources, logistics
and connectivity. This is the first World Expo held in the Middle East and the
largest global event organized since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A
total of 192 countries are taking part.
TENNIS -
The Romanian-German pair Monica Niculescu / Anna-Lena Friedsam won the WTA
women’s doubles tournament hosted by Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, totaling over 235
thousand dollars in prizes. Niculescu and Friedsam on Saturday defeated the
all-Russian pair Angelina Gabueva and Anastasia Zakharova, 6-2, 4-6, 10-5.
Monica Niculescu played 19 WTA doubles finals, of which one this year in Doha,
Qatar, alongside Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. (VP)
