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Tag: outbreak

Covid-19 outbreak in Timisoara

After many months in which Romanians were no longer concerned about the coronavirus, Covid-19 infections are on the rise again in Romania, according to official data. A new outbreak was reported at a childrens hospital in Timișoara (west), the first in a long time, and now the hospital is under epidemiological surveillance. Most of those infected are patients, but also medical staff and relatives. The authorities have taken the necessary measures, and the spokesperson for the health unit says that the situation is under control. He stated that the hospital has the experience of two Covid outbreaks during the pandemic, when the situation was more severe.

Now back to the situation across the country, the National Institute of Public Health has announced that over 5,700 people tested positive for Covid-19 last week, and the number is more than double the one reported a month ago. In the past week, 32 related deaths were also recorded. In hospitals too, the number of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 is increasing. Currently, there are more than 1,200 people hospitalized in normal wards and about 150 in intensive care. Out of the public eye in recent months, anti-COVID vaccination carries on timidly.

All of last week, just over 500 people received a dose of the serum. Most were vaccinated with Pfizer Omicron, the vaccine adapted to the new strains of coronavirus, which has also been administered in Romania since the end of November last year. The authorities still recommend the anti-Covid vaccination, especially for people in risk categories, because, they say, vaccination reduces the risk of infection and transmission of the virus, and the risk of hospitalization and the risk of death are also considerably lower. Despite the authorities repeated appeals, in the more than two years since the vaccine has been available in Romania, less than half of the eligible population decided to get the shot, thats just over eight million people. And for more than three years, since cases of Covid appeared in Romania as well, more than 3.3 million people have been infected with the new coronavirus and about 68 thousand have lost their lives as a result of the infection.

In the meantime, the authorities in Bucharest are considering other health-related projects. The Senate, as the first notified chamber, adopted the bill regarding the patients right to personalized medicine. More exactly, personalized medicine means that patients suffering from the same disease will receive different treatments based on a specialists recommendation, after they are presented with the medical options, with the benefits and the expected risks. The bill will now go to the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body in this matter. (MI)

7 March 2023
September 29, 2022 UPDATE

ENERGY Romania will not be facing glitches in natural gas and
electricity supplies, the state secretary with the Energy Ministry Dan Drăgan promised
on Thursday. At the time, Romania has 80% of its natural gas storage facilities
full, and hopefully the figure will be close to 90% in early November, he added.
The official also called for solidarity between the authorities, producers and
consumers, in line with the efforts made at EU level.

PRICE CAPS Diesel and petrol prices will
continue to be subsidised by roughly 10 eurocents until the end of the year, PM
Nicolae Ciucă announced on Thursday. He said the measure has already produced
visible results over the past 3 months, and fuel prices have been stabilised
and even decreased. Moreover, the measure has yielded results throughout the
supply chain, from providers to consumers. The PM added that on Saturday he
would take part, alongside several other senior officials, including the
president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, in the opening of
the natural gas interconnector between Greece and Bulgaria, in Sofia.

MONKEYPOX Romania is requesting support in managing a monkeypox
outbreak. The National Committee for Emergency Situations Thursday decided to
resort to the European civil protection mechanism for the medicines needed for
approximately 150 patients. Romania has so far confirmed 40 cases, and in
mid-September the country received from the European Commission 5,000 monkeypox
vaccine doses, to be administered to those who get into contact with infected
people.

NATO NATO’s importance in countries’ national security has greatly
increased in the eyes of the public from 14 European and North-American
countries, according to a survey conducted by the German Marshall Fund made
public on Thursday. The EU is also regarded as very important for the national
security of countries in Europe. 78% of respondents said NATO is very important
for their country’s security, as against only 67% last year. Respondents in
countries near Russia and Ukraine place a particularly high value on NATO: 91%
of Poles, 88% of Romanians and 87% of Lithuanians, the report says. Also, 81%
of the European respondents said the EU is important for national security.

UKRAINE Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is to sign on Friday the
treaties on the annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk,
Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, the Kremlin announced. The leaders of the 4 breakaway
regions travelled to Moscow on Wednesday night for the ceremony, after the
illegal referendums organised by Russia and described by both Kyiv and Western
capitals as a sham. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is
to hold an emergency meeting of top security and defence officials on Friday. The
US announced plans, jointly with its allies and partners, to impose higher
economic costs on Russia, while the European Commission proposed new sanctions. On the other hand, clashes continue to be reported in all the regions
where the referendums were held, and several Ukrainian localities are being
shelled. According to the Ukrainian defence ministry, the army focuses on
regaining control over the entire Donetsk region. (AMP)

29 September 2022
Covid-19 Outbreaks in Romania

New coronavirus outbreaks are reported in Romania, along with an increase in the number of daily infections. Authorities say the health-care system runs the risk of no longer being able to cope with the situation. There are hundreds of Covid-19 outbreaks in Romania, most of them in care centers for the elderly or children. There are also many in hospitals, public institutions, schools and sport clubs. Following the latest developments, authorities have put measures in place, hoping to curb the spread of the coronavirus and thus diminish the number of infections, which in turn would mean less outbreaks.

The schools, high schools and kindergartens in the counties where the threshold of 3 infections per thousand inhabitants was exceeded have been closed and they only hold courses via the internet. Most major cities in the country, including the capital, are now in the red scenario. In addition to exclusively online courses for at least 14 days, the red scenario entails the mandatory wearing of a mask on the street, as in any other public space outdoors or inside a building, but also the closure of restaurants and cafes inside. Gambling halls, cinemas or theaters are to stay closed too. We should also mention that in Romania there are hundreds of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are in a serious condition in intensive care units, dozens of people die every day due to infections and thousands of new cases are registered every day.

Eight months have passed since the confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 in Romania. In recent weeks, the infection rate has risen across the country, while almost all beds for COVID patients are already occupied. Bucharest keeps topping the rankings, with the largest figures reported daily.According to the authorities, with regard to infection, big numbers are also reported in Timiş (west), Cluj (northwest) and Iaşi (northeast), where there are also the most numerous outbreaks. The coefficient of infections accumulated within 14 days per thousand inhabitants is maintained at over 3 in the capital, as well as in the counties of Alba (center), Cluj and Harghita (center-north). Big cities like Sibiu (center), Timisoara (west) and Arad (west) have also registered numerous outbreaks of Covid-19.

In the European context, Romania is one of the 23 European countries where the evolution of the pandemic raises concerns at EU level, both due to the daily number of infections among the elderly population in the past 14 days, and regarding the fatality rate. Actually, Romania ranks second in Europe in terms of mortality caused by the new coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization, Europe needs to speed up the implementation of the necessary measures, as its lagging way behind in the fight against the coronavirus. The WHO also warns that greater efforts must be made to protect the medical staff. The organization urges national health authorities to curb the spread of Covid-19, even in places where many outbreaks are reported, stressing that states cannot and must not give up the fight. (M. Ignatescu)

27 October 2020
May 9, 2020

EUROPE DAY Europe is experiencing the most difficult period since WW2, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis says in a message released today, on Europe Day. He says that this is a time that tests our resilience, unity and humanity, and that, faced with the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania has once again proved to be a trustworthy partner. The president mentioned that teams of Romanian doctors and nurses went to Italy and the Republic of Moldova to support the efforts to fight the epidemic. Romania is also the first EU member state to manage a strategic stock of medical equipment for the entire Union, and under this mechanism vital equipment has already been delivered to the worst hit areas. May 9 marks the 1945 victory of the Allies against Nazi Germany in WW2, as well as the historic 1950 declaration of the French foreign minister Robert Schuman, proposing an economic cooperation plan between France and Germany, to do away with deep-rooted rivalries. On the same day, Romania celebrates its independence from the Ottoman Empire, proclaimed during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877.

COVID-19 The Strategic Communication Group in the Government of Romania is to make public today a list of measures to be implemented by business operators and public institutions as of May 15, when the state of emergency introduced 2 months ago over the coronavirus epidemic ends. The interior minister Marcel Vela urged companies with more than 50 employees to organise shifts so as to reduce pressure on public transportation. He added that the committee drafting the rules for lifting restrictions are still discussing whether the sworn statement required at present for those who leave their home should be maintained after May 15. The SCG also announced today that the total number of deaths in Romania is 926. The total number of cases so far is over 15,100. Of these, 6,400 have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, 2,444 have tested positive for the virus, most of them in Italy and Spain, and 96 have died since the start of the pandemic.

TRANSPORT Airlines are bound to refund the price of tickets for cancelled flights, according to the EU legislation, the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean announced. She said citizens must contact the relevant member states, because many countries have provided state aid to airlines precisely in order to help them cover their cash shortages. Adina Vălean also announced that next week she will make public a list of safety rules for various transport means, as cross-border traffic is being gradually resumed and the EU seeks to help the tourism industry recover. She also said the so-called green corridors for commodities will be preserved in the foreseeable future.

PANDEMIC The European Commission has called on all Schengen member and associate states to extend the temporary ban on non-essential travel in the EU until June 15. Although some member countries are already lifting the restrictions aimed at fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the situation is still fragile both in Europe and in the rest of the world, the Commission argues. This is why external border restrictions are still needed, in order to reduce the risk of the disease spreading through travel into EU countries. The number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases worldwide is around 3.8 million, and the death toll stands at over 264,000. In the US, over 1.2 million people have tested positive, and in Spain, Italy and the UK the number of cases is over 200,000.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 May 2020
Reconfiguration of the healthcare system

The healthcare system is on the front line of the battle against the SARS CoV-2, virus. Although measures have been taken to contain and prevent the spread of the virus in Romania, new hotbeds appeared, which required additional action to address the crisis.

More difficult cases have been reported recently in Focșani and Galați (east), where Healthcare Minister Nelu Tătaru travelled these days to assess the situation.

The County Emergency Hospital in Focşani is now under military management, after the previous manager tested positive for COVID-19 and all staff are to be tested. The Vrancea Ambulance Service based in the same city reported that the dispatch centre personnel are all infected, and so are 9 healthcare personnel, and daily activities had to be reorganised accordingly.

Problems are also reported in Galați, where the healthcare minister inspected a private care centre for the elderly, currently quarantined over coronavirus infections, and the County Hospital, whose ICU receives the most severe COVID-19 cases.

On this occasion, Nelu Tătaru said the current restrictions cannot be relaxed sooner than the second half of May, and warned that as far as the elderly are concerned, these restrictions will stay in place:

Nelu Tătaru: “We are considering extensions of more than a month, if the situation requires it. We have to keep in mind that they are the vulnerable ones. We must protect our elderly, so we will do what we have to do. At this point we cannot talk about a precise date, these restrictions will still be very much in place because the next 3 or 4 weeks are going to be rather difficult. We will only be able to talk about relaxation after the 15th or 20th of May or even 1st of June, but there will be progressive relaxation, with separate measures for each locality. And some restrictions will be preserved, we will only go out if we wear face masks and gloves. So restrictions will be eased out, but some precautions will stay in place.

At the Deva County Hospital, in the west of the country, where another coronavirus outbreak had been reported and where military management was introduced as a result, the quarantine is now over and staff are ready to receive COVID-19 patients. Prior to reopening, disinfection and sterilisation was completed, movement circuits have been put together by epidemiologists, and medical staff were organised in shifts for the forthcoming 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, in Constanţa (south-east), quarantine tents fitted with utilities have been mounted, as part of a modular isolation and care system which also benefits from a modern x-ray machine and a new PCR testing unit.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

14 April 2020
The Risks of Not Vaccinating Children

On Wednesday, the “Victor Babes Infectious Disease Hospital in Timisoara, western Romania, announced that the number of cases of measles was on the rise. Timisoara is actually the county with the highest number of such cases reported. As many as 30 patients were hospitalized there in the first three days of the year alone, the youngest patient being only six weeks old. Another 124 children had been hospitalized in December.

The measles outbreak last fall had the Romanian Healthcare Ministry, together with representatives of the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Public Health Institute, propose a set of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. These measures include lowering the vaccination age to 9 months, because, according to specialists, one characteristic of this epidemics is that it affects babies under one year of age. Another measure is the vaccination of children aged 5 to 9 who have not been given the second shot.

So far, 2000 cases of measles have been reported across the country, 10 of which have resulted in the death of the patients. According to the Healthcare Ministry, the number of cases has increased because parents have started to refuse to have their children immunized. Specialists say that observing epidemiological rules, such as the one regarding vaccination, is important, because it is the most effective means of preventing the disease from spreading. Even if the vaccine does not ensure full immunization, at least the disease has a milder form. Physicians have warned that infection with the measles virus might lead to complications, such as severe bronchitis and otitis, viral pneumonia and encephalitis.

The measles outbreak has brought back to the forefront a controversial topic in Romania. A growing number of parents have decided to no longer have their children immunized, because of the side effects of vaccines. According to official statistics, the vaccination rate has dropped dramatically in Romania, by some 20%, below the safety level of 95% recommended by the World Health Organization.

Moreover, Romania is faced with the largest number of cases of rubella, tuberculosis and hepatitis B in Europe. Although such serious diseases could be prevented through vaccination, in Romania the immunization process is very slow. The reasons are the lack of vaccines and peoples lack of trust in this medical procedure. On the other hand, physicians complain that the National Immunization Program stumbles every step of the way, because there are not enough shots.

In Romania, the Healthcare Ministry recommends a specific vaccination scheme, but this is not compulsory, therefore parents can choose to use it partially or not at all, with no legal consequences whatsoever.

4 January 2017
February 29, 2016 UPDATE

VISIT-The Romanian authorities are carrying on with the measures meant to reform the judiciary and have set as their main priority to observe the recommendations made in the European Commissions latest report issued under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, the Romanian justice minister, Raluca Pruna, said in Bucharest Monday, fresh from a meeting with the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourova. The Romanian official added that Romania was ready to assume its own assessment within internal mechanisms, which mainly consist in the strategy for the development of the legal system and in the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy. Previously the European Commissioner had met with the Romanian Prime Minister, Dacian Ciolos. The two officials talked about cooperation with the European Commission in the field of justice, the anti-corruption fight, the lifting of the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification as well as about the consumer protection policy, gender equality, the social inclusion of the Roma population and the proposal of setting up, at EU level, the position of European Prosecutor General.

ECONOMY– An IMF mission is expected in Bucharest between March 2 and 15, for the annual assessment of the Romanian economy. The mission, led by the new head of the IMF mission for Romania, Reza Baqir, will meet with Romanian high officials, with representatives of the political parties, of trade unions, business associations, of the academic environment and the banking system. The assessment of the economy is, according to Article IV of the IMF Statute, a compulsory monitoring exercise for all member states. After the examination of the national situation, general recommendations are made related to monetary, financial and economic policies to be acted upon so as to ensure stability and a positive development of the economy. At present, Romania has no running agreement with the IMF.

APPOINTMENT-The former deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Cristian Popa, has been appointed Vice-President and member of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank. He will take office on March 1. The EIB is the financial institution of the EU and the Banks Board of Governors consists of 28 European Union Finance Ministers. The bank grants loans mainly to the EU states at very advantageous interest rates for investments in such domains as transport, communications, industry, agriculture, energy, education, healthcare and SMEs. The Romanian Vice-President coordinates the funding activities in Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia and the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

HEALTHCARE-One of the children hospitalized at the “Marie Curie hospital in Bucharest with the hemolytic uremic syndrome is still in intensive care, but his condition is stable, sources with the healthcare ministry report. The cause of infection is the E.Coli bacteria which has generated an epidemic in Arges county, in the south, since the beginning of February. In Arges county more than 50 children are still in hospital with serious digestive infections. The National Sanitary-Veterinary Authority has announced that the E.Coli bacteria has been found in cow cheese in Curtea de Arges, a town in the same county, and in poultry products made in a household in Bacau county, eastern Romania.

LAW ON DEBT DISCHARGE-
The Romanian Senate on Monday unanimously adopted the law on debt discharge,
which provides for discharging someone’s debt if they give the mortgaged dwelling
to the bank. The draft law is to be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, which
is the decision making body in this case.

SURVEY- More than 9 in 10 Romanians say they have little or very little confidence in the political parties, a survey conducted by the Romanian Evaluation and Strategy Institute, shows. Three quarters of the respondents have unfavourable opinions of the parties and only 6% of them say these parties are representing the citizens interests. Political leaders are believed to be the main beneficiaries of the parties activity. Some 6 in 10 Romanians prefer an independent politician and only 3 in 10 favour a politician affiliated to a political party. The sociological survey was conducted ahead of the local elections due in summer and of the legislative ones, due in autumn. The elections will be organised by the technocratic government led by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, which took office in November, following the resignation of the cabinet led by Social-Democrat Victor Ponta, as an outcome of the street protests against the corruption of the political class.

MASS MEDIA– The Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, has said the Romanian Television Company (TVR), which is facing severe financial problems, can redress itself only by a joint effort of the Romanian Government and Parliament. He said the separation of the two positions of Chairman and CEO, respectively, is not a solution to the issue. Tariceanu has also said the National Radio Broadcasting Corporation has had a totally different evolution from that of the Romanian Television Company, in terms of both ratings and financial results, although it functions based on the same law and with the same organizing structure, that is the formula: Chairman and CEO. The deadline for the public debate on the draft bill meant to amend the law regulating the organization and functioning of the Romanian Radio and Television Corporations expired on Monday. The initiator of the law proposes the separation of the positions of Chairman and CEO, in the two media institutions.

(Translated by Lacramioara Simion and Diana Vijeu)

29 February 2016