November 15, 2020
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 15.11.2020, 14:07
FIRE. Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has had a working meeting today with the Minister of Health, Nelu Tătaru, the Interior Minister Marcel Vela and the State Secretary Raed Arafat. Authorities have decided that joint teams of the Directorate of Public Health and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations will begin checks on Monday in all intensive care units at national level to verify the facilities and the operation of medical equipment. The decision was made in the aftermath of the tragedy that occurred on Saturday evening, at the Piatra Neamţ County Emergency Hospital (east). Ten patients suffering from Covid-19 died in the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit, and seven other people, including the doctor on duty, were seriously injured. The six patients were taken to the Modular Hospital in Lețcani, while the doctor was transferred today to a hospital in Brussels, for specialized treatment. The Minister of Health, Nelu Tătaru, considers that the guilt for the tragedy in Piatra Neamţ is a collective one because, he said: “we have agreed for 30 years to live in such a medical situation.” President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and the leader of the opposition, the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu have all stated they are shocked and saddened by the tragic event and have once again complained about the precarious state of the Romanian health system. The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, has prayed for the victims. Prosecutors from the General Prosecutors Office, police and firefighters have started an investigation today to determine the causes of the fire. The team is headed by the prosecutor Marius Iacob from the General Prosecutors Office, the one who also investigated the fires at the Colectiv club and the Giuleşti Maternity.
COVID-19 RO. In Romania, since the beginning of the pandemic, over 360 thousand cases of infection and 8,926 deaths have been registered. 113 deaths associated with COVID 19 were reported in the past 24 hours. 1169 patients are in intensive care. Romania no longer has a green zone in terms of coronavirus infections, after, on Saturday, the threshold of 1.5 cases of COVID-19 per thousand inhabitants against the last 14 days was exceeded in Vrancea county (east), the only one in which the number of cases was lower. Against the background of the epidemiological situation, the state of alert was extended until mid-December.
PANDEMIC. The restrictions imposed recently by the governments of many countries are starting to show the first results, but the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is a big burden for the healthcare systems. The greatest pressure is on the intensive care units. On the European continent, Germany, Austria or Portugal have announced new daily records. In Italy, as of today, two more regions join the so-called red list, and another nine become orange. It is forbidden for citizens to travel outside their place of residence, restaurants and shops are closed, except for food stores and pharmacies, and sports activities are suspended, including those held in outdoor sports centers. It is allowed to walk near the house, observing the distance of at least one meter from any other person and with the obligation to wear a protective mask. Nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools remain open. Austria will enter a new quarantine period from Tuesday 17 November until 6 December. The government will close schools, shops and services and impose new traffic bans. Globally, more than 54 million cases of Covid 19 have been reported since the virus first appeared in China almost a year ago, and the death toll has exceeded 1.3 million.
ELECTION. The second round of the presidential elections takes place today in the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, mostly Romanian-speaking). Former Prime Minister Maia Sandu, representing the pro-Europe electorate, who won the first round of elections in November, is facing pro-Russia President Igor Dodon, backed by the Socialist Party. The 2,000 polling stations set up for this round will close at 21:00. In the diaspora, Moldovan citizens have at their disposal over 139 sections, 13 of which are in Romania. The election takes place after a tough campaign marked by numerous statements and accusations between the two competitors. In the campaign, the current president urged his supporters to post-election protests, if necessary to defend his victory. As for Maia Sandu, she spoke about the need for change and the fight against corruption.
NIGHT OF MUSEUMS. In Romania, this years edition of the Night of Museums took place on Saturday, in conditions adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and most of the events organized on the internet. More than 60 museums and cultural operators from all over Romania registered to celebrate this European event, usually organized in May. In 2020, however, because of the pandemic, it was moved to mid-November, and museums and cultural spaces organized interactive activities on social media and on their own websites. The offline projects were adapted to the new government measures on public safety. The Night of Museums was initiated 16 years ago by the French Ministry of Culture, sponsored by the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the International Council of Museums. (M. Ignatescu)
