July 10, 2022
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 10.07.2022, 14:00
COVID – Starting next week
authorities will revert to daily reports of COVID-19 infection and fatalities
after official data indicate a resurge in the daily number of infections. The
Health Ministry announced it would present a weekly update on Monday, while
starting Thursday updates will be released daily. According to the latest
report, the number of infections has doubled. Health Minister Alexandru Rafila
expects a new wave of infections that might peak at the end of summer. Of the
7,700 new cases, 1,300 people had already had the disease in the last three
months. The new strain of the virus doesn’t seem to cause serious forms of the
disease, although vaccination is still recommended in the case of vulnerable
categories. The authorities expect a new adapted vaccine starting this autumn.
Meanwhile, hospitals were recommended to prepare for a new wave of the pandemic
and activate their action plans.
POPULATION
AGEING – Population ageing is gaining ground in Romania, according to the
latest data published by the National Statistics Institute. On January 1, 2021,
of the approximately 19.2 million inhabitants, a little less than 16% were
below 14 years of age, while over 19% were over 65. People aged 15-64 accounted
for nearly 65% of the total population, a slight decrease compared to early
2020. The figures also show that over half of the country’s population lived in
urban settlements.
REFUGEES – The total number of
Ukrainian citizens who have entered Romania since the start of the Russian
invasion in Ukraine has exceeded 1 and a half million. Data published on Friday
reveals a significant increase in arrivals compared to the previous day.
According to the Romanian Border Police, 22,500 Ukrainian citizens have entered
Romania in the last 24 hours. Border authorities say they are working at full
capacity.
PROTEST – Thousands of people
protested in Washington against the elimination of the Constitutional right to
abortion. The rally was held two weeks after the Supreme Court overturned the
Roe v. Wade precedent that had guaranteed the national right to abortion for
nearly 50 years. Some 10,000 people from across the USA took part the protest.
On Friday, United States president Joe Biden signed an executive order
directing health authorities to expand access to medical abortion pills
prescribed to end pregnancies.
SWIMMING
– Romania has so far won seven medals, four gold and three silver, at the
European Junior Swimming Championships in Otopeni, near Bucharest. On Saturday,
Vlad Stancu won silver in the 800m freestyle event. Romania ranks third in the
medal standings, after Hungary (10 medals) and Poland (13 medals). On Sunday,
David Popovici will take part in the 100m freestyle final, while Vlad Stancu
will take part in the 400m freestyle final. Romania also won gold in the men’s
4x100m freestyle relay (David Popovici, Vlad Stancu, Ștefan Cozma and Patrick
Sebastian Dinu), gold in the 200m and 50m freestyle events (David Popovici),
silver in the 1,500m freestyle event (Vlad Ștefan Stancu), silver in the mix
4x100m freestyle event (David Popovici, Patrick Sebastian Dinu, Bianca Costea
and Rebecca Aimee Diaconescu) and silver in the women’s 50m freestyle event
(Bianca Costea). Attending the Championships are 500 athletes from 42
countries. 26 swimmers are representing Romania, 14 in the men’s competition
and 12 in the women’s competition.
ROWING – The World Rowing Championships
are coming to a close on Sunday in Lucerne, Switzerland. So far, the Romanian
women’s pair made up of Ioana Vrînceanu and Denisa Tîlvescu won silver, while the
men’s four-scull crew made up of Mihăiţă Ţigănescu, Mugurel Semciuc, Ştefan
Berariu and Florin Lehaci have won bronze. (VP)
