Reported COVID-19 infections for Romania, on the rise

The number of COVID-19 infections has been on the rise in the last days in Romania.

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Daniela Budu, 19.06.2020, 13:00

There
has been a significant rise in the number of COVID-19 cases reported for
Romania in the last week. Since the pandemic outbreak, the number of infections
has exceeded 23,000 all told. Deaths are reported on a daily basis, while 1,500
people, or thereabouts, have died so far because of the COVID-19 infection. More
than two thirds of the individuals who have tested positive for the virus have
recovered and have been discharged from hospital. President Klaus Iohannis has
voiced his concern because of the rising number of infections. Iohannis made a
countrywide appeal to the population to comply with the sanitary safety
measures.

Klaus Iohannis:

Dear Romanians, please beware the virus. Simple measures have remained
in place, very commonsensical and extremely important. The mask, it protects
you, also protecting those around you. The distance will have to be maintained
everywhere, wherever it is possible. The hygiene of the hands is very important.

In
another development, Klaus Iohannis made it clear that imposing the
restrictions for a second time around was not desirable since longer term, the
set target was the revitalization of the economy. Iohannis described as
extremely appropriate and fair the measures the Government took during the
pandemic. Moreover, the decision to declare the state of emergency was taken in
due time.

In
another move, Healthcare Minister Nelu Tataru told Radio Romania that the
recent increase in the number of infections has occurred in the wake of several
relaxation measures, and is in no way surprising.

Nelu Tataru:

For these three relaxation phases, a gradual increase is expected and
not an exponential one, which is happening already, since concurrently, we
have those ministerial orders whereby a set of regulations has been put in
place, for the proper progress and functioning of activities. As long as we
comply with those regulations, we can say the progress is favorable, even if a
slight increase has been reported for the new cases, yet all in all the
progress is favorable and we have in mind the date of July 1 as the beginning of
a new phase of relaxation.

According
to epidemiologists, such a progress comes as something natural after
relaxation, and for the summer months, the number of cases is expected to be on the wane. Specialists have also specified that the wave that’s expected this
coming autumn could be weaker than the one we had in spring, and that because
part of the population will have already been immunized against the virus in a
natural way. Epidemiologists went on to say it was not the set of relaxation
measures that has led up to an increase in infections, but flouting the
regulations. MD Adriana Pistol here is the president of the COVID-19
Clinical and epidemiological management Commission.

Adriana Pistol:

It is a signal for the population at large, people really need to be
responsible, responsible for their own health, but also responsible for
everyone around them. Responsibility had been transferred from the authorities
to the population once relaxation measures have been put in place.
Consequently, it comes in handiest for us all, for each and every one of us, to
bring our own contribution so that the phenomenon may be contained.

Also
according to experts, a vaccine against the virus is not likely to be developed
this year. Such a vaccine will have to undergo a series of tests and
verification requirements.

(Translation by Eugen Nasta)