March 22, 2020
Romania reports first deaths caused by COVID-19
Newsroom, 22.03.2020, 13:55
COVID-19 Romania Bucharest on Saturday night announced new restrictions to contain the spreading of COVID-19. The interior minister Marcel Vela said retail would be temporarily suspended, except for foodstuffs, veterinary products and pharmaceuticals. Under a military order presented by the interior minister, the measure takes effect tonight. Dentists offices will also be closed, except for emergency interventions. A 10p.m to 6a.m. curfew was introduced, with people allowed to leave their homes at night only for work-related purposes, or to buy food or other essential items. Romania has also closed borders for foreign citizens and stateless persons, except for transit corridors agreed on with neighbouring states. Exceptions to this rule include foreign family members of Romanian citizens, family members of other EU citizens or citizens of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation residing in Romania, people traveling for work-related purposes, diplomatic and consular personnel, staff of international organisations, military and humanitarian personnel, passengers transiting Romania or passengers travelling for strict medical or family-related emergencies, people in need of international protection or people traveling for humanitarian reasons.
COVID-19 world At least 900 million people in over 35 countries around the world are isolating, either as part of mandatory measures introduced by national authorities, or further to recommendations made by the authorities in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Curfews have been introduced in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jordan and Burkina Faso. Tunisia and Rwanda have today imposed lockdowns. In South America, Bolivia decided nation-wide quarantine, while Columbia and the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil will do the same as of Tuesday. In the US as well, 30% of the citizens have been ordered to stay at home. Over 300,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in 169 countries and territories since the epidemic started, and the death toll exceeds 12.800. The worst-hit country in the world is now Italy, where the situation continues to worsen. The number of victims in that country is over 4800. (…) The novel coronavirus continues to spread in the UK, where the government has urged 1.5 million vulnerable people to stay at home for 3 months. China announced 46 new cases today, only one of which was locally transmitted, after 3 consecutive days with no local infections. One of the priorities in the country where the pandemic broke out in December is to prevent the disease from entering Chinese territory from abroad. Other severely hit countries are Iran, Spain, France and the USA.
UPDATE Romania has reported the first 2 deaths caused by COVID-19 in the country. According to the Strategic Communication Group, they were a 67-year old man suffering from terminal cancer and a 74-year old man with a chronic disease. So far 433 cases have been confirmed in Romania, 64 of whom are recovered and discharged. According to the Foreign Ministry, 8 Romanian citizens have died abroad because of the COVID-19, 7 in Italy and 1 in France.
WATER The UN calls for better use of water to help fight climate change. In a report issued on World Water Day, the organisation emphasises that better management of water resources may contain global warming. The UN says treating larger quantities of used water should be one of the priorities. Up to 90% of the used water is not treated at present, although it is an important source of methane, which is a greenhouse gas. The UN also asks for the protection and reconstruction of wetlands, which store twice as much carbon as forests, while also preventing floods and providing a habitat for wildlife. The report criticises the lack of cooperation between governments in the field of global warming and water management.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
