October 26, 2020 UPDATE
A news update
Newsroom, 26.10.2020, 20:14
Covid-19 — Over 2,800 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Romania in the past 24 hours, with the number of Covid-19-related deaths nearing 6,500. The number of patients in ICUs remains high, more than 800. Several big cities of Romania, such as Timisoara (west), Sibiu (center), and Baia Mare (north), Bucharest included, operate in the red scenario, reporting more than 3 cases of COVID-19 per one thousand inhabitants. Besides online courses for at least 14 days, the red scenario instates the obligation to wear a face mask in the street, in open-air spaces as well as inside buildings and a ban on indoor activities in restaurants and cafes. The National Committee for Emergency Situations on Monday updated the list of COVID-19 high-risk countries. As of October 26, travelers coming into Romania from these countries must isolate for 14 days. The list comprises 30 countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France, the UK, Ireland and Portugal. The US and the R. of Moldova are no longer on the list.
COVID-19 world — The total number of COVID-19 cases has exceeded 43.4 million around the world, with more than 1.16 million deaths being reported. The number of recovered patients stands at almost 32 million, according to Worldometer.info. The most affected countries are the US, Brazil and India. The situation is equally serious in Europe which continues to report a big number of infections. Spain reintroduced the state of emergency and Italy has taken further restrictive measures. On Friday France reported over one million cases of COVID-19. In the Czech Republic, which has reported the highest rate of contaminations and deaths in Europe in the past two weeks, partial lockdown has been imposed until November 3.
Visit — The Romanian PM Ludovic Orban is on an official visit to France on Monday and Tuesday. Ludovic Orban met with his French counterpart Jean Castex, with whom he shared Romania’s wish for more solidarity among Europeans in this difficult period. The two officials signed several official documents including a cooperation agreement between the two countries. The main objective of the Romanian PM’s visit to France is the signing of the roadmap for the next 4 years regarding cooperation between Romania and France. Another document refers to a memorandum of intent among the two countries’ governments for cooperation in the nuclear energy field. The Romanian PM invited the French companies already operating in Romania to continue to develop their activity.
Partnership — NATO will have a homogeneous defense and deterrence posture, announced NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana in a press briefing. This is a concept for defense and deterrence for the euro-Atlantic area, which is currently debated by the Alliance. Asked by a Radio Romania reporter about the defense fragmentation on the eastern flank, Mircea Geoana showed that the Black Sea is included in the first large-scale comprehensive assessment of NATO’s security of the past 40-50 years. The NATO official also talked about the NATO-EU cooperation on the issue of military mobility within such forums as the Three Seas Initiative, of which Romania is a member. He said the Alliance encourages everything related to infrastructure, be it economic, military or strategic. Also Mr. Geoana said that the Romanian — American strategic partnership is becoming more robust with every year passing by. (update by L.Simion)
