April 30, 2021

Coronavirus pandemic slows down in Romania./ Romanians begin 4-day holiday for Labour Day and Easter.

Newsroom, 30.04.2021, 13:50

Pandemic Romania. The coronavirus pandemic continues to slow down in
Romania, where 1,636 new daily cases and 138 new fatalities were recorded. In Bucharest, the incidence rate dropped
below 3 cases per 1,000 people tested over the course of 14 days. The public
health directorate said no other locality or county in Romania is now in the
red zone. Romania found one case of the Indian variant in an Indian worker in
Brasov county, but this variant differs from that blamed for the current
epidemiological situation in India. The 26-year-old man arrived in Romania one
month ago and has a mild form of the disease. In the meantime, the Covid
vaccination campaign that began in December last year continues. An increasing
number of towns and cities around the country are hosting events and activities
meant to facilitate access to vaccination. Drive-through vaccination sites
opened in Bucharest, Deva (in the west of the country), Cluj Napoca (in the
north-west) and Arad (in the west), an initiative president Klaus Iohannis said
is a success. According to the coordinator of Romania’s mass vaccination
campaign Valeriu Gheorghiţă, more such sites will open in Bucharest and around
the country.

Pandemic world. India hits new
record of daily Covid infections as some 390,000 more cases and almost 3,500
new fatalities are reported. India’s health system is struggling to cope and hospitals
around the country are overwhelmed with the huge number of new admissions. The US
sent emergency aid consisting of oxygen concentrators and other medical
supplies. Romania also joined the list of countries sending humanitarian aid to
India, with its Department for Emergency Situations saying the medical
equipment sent by Bucharest arrived in New Delhi. Romania’s assistance consists
in some 200 medical devices producing or supplying oxygen.

Holy Friday. Orthodox
and Greek Catholic Christians are today marking Holy Friday before Easter, a
day of commemoration and remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion. The last evening
service in the Passion Week is also held on this day in church. The service
symbolically re-enacts Christ’s death after being nailed to the cross, with an
icon called epitaphios and depicting Christ’s dead body taking centre stage.
The epitaphios is placed in the middle of the church and then carried outside around
the church. The Christian Orthodox world is celebrating Christ’s resurrection
on Sunday.

Tourism. The Easter and Labour Day holiday began officially on Friday,
with Romanians enjoying four days off work. The traffic police have reported
busier traffic on the roads to the mountains and the seaside. The authorities
have dispatched more police to ensure road safety. Around 26,000 police,
gendarmerie, border police and fire service staff are on stand-by. Security
forces are also present in large numbers in tourist resorts in the mountains
and at the seaside and around churches holding Easter services. According to
the interior ministry, the main objective is protecting people’s lives and
health, including by discouraging behaviour that may spread the Covid pandemic.
More than 30,000 visitors are expected to spend the Labour Day and Easter
holiday on the Black Sea shores. Some 100 hotels opened for this occasion, many
of which are already 70% full, which is the maximum level allowed by the
authorities. Partying on the beach is not permitted, and wearing face masks is
mandatory.

NATO. NATO officially certified
a RAF detachment that arrived at the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base in Constanţa
county, in south-eastern Romania, where it will be carrying out air policing
missions alongside the Romanian military. This is the third such mission after
2017 and 2018. Four Eurofighter Typhoon planes will take part in missions over
the next four months together with Romania’s F-16 Fighting Falcon and MIG 21
Lancer aircraft. The main goal of the mission is to develop the response and
deterrence capacity on NATO’s eastern flank.

Eurovision. The Dutch government has confirmed that the Eurovision song contest hosted by Rotterdam will be held in May with a live audience. All participants must comply with strict rules to prevent the spread of the pandemic and only 3,500 people are allowed in the audience. Romania will be represented by Roxen and a song called Amnesia, which will be played in the first semifinal, on 18th May. The second semifinal will be held on 20th May. Romania’s best places in the Eurovision final date from 2005 and 2010, when it finished third, and 2006, when it finished fourth.

Tennis. World no. 3 Simona Halep of Romania on Friday defeated Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo in straight sets to reach
the second round of the Madrid WTA
tennis tournament, worth 2.5 million euros in prize money. Two other Romanian
players, however, lost their respective first-round matches: Fresh from winning
the title in Istanbul, world no. 58 Sorana Cirstea failed to get past the
American player Jessica Pegula, world no. 33, while world no. 75 Irina Begu lost
to world no. 37 Daria Kasatkina of Russia’s. (CM)