Prime minister Florin Cîțu asked Bucharest residents to wait for the official decisions and ignore any scenarios that are being discussed as the Covid-19 incidence rate in the city reached 6.22 per 1,000 inhabitants. Placing Bucharest under full quarantine is not an option, he said when asked about the possibility, Hotnews.ro reported.

"I am asking Bucharest residents to ignore the scenarios and wait for the decision. This number [e.n. the incidence rate] is one of pieces of information we take into account when discussing the quarantine of a locality. There was never a decision to quarantine a locality only because the 6 per 1,000 threshold was reached. There are other criteria each time. We need to consult with other specialists, and also with economics experts, and when we make a decision, we will announce it," Cîțu said ahead of a meeting with the Health Ministry on March 23.

Speaking about the situation of the schools, the PM said they would remain open for the time being. 

"If the measures we introduced had been followed, we would not be in this situation," Cîțu said.

The incidence rate of 6.22 is the highest Bucharest reported this year. In December of last year, it peaked at 7.04 per 1,000 inhabitants. Bucharest has been reporting an increasing number of coronavirus cases over the past two weeks. On Monday, March 22, it reported 1,446 cases, 38.6% of the total 3,743 cases reported in the country the same day.

Bucharest prefect Alin Stoica previously said that it was "very likely" Bucharest would be placed under quarantine if the coronavirus infection rate exceeds 6 per 1,000 inhabitants (over 14 consecutive days).

In his turn, education minister Sorin Cîmpeanu told Mediafax he would not accept having the schools closed but other institutions open.

"I can't accept to have schools closed and everything else open. When we enter the quarantine, we close the schools. Until then, we follow the rule that schools are the last to close."

The education minister also filed a request with the Health Ministry to change the order outlining the rules for the activity of the schools during the pandemic to ensure that schools are closed only when localities enter quarantine and not as a preventive measure.

Bucharest's Municipal Committee for Emergency Situations (CMBSU) decided at the end of last week that the restrictions imposed under the red scenario should be extended for two weeks.

After a meeting on Monday, March 22, both Romanian prime minister Florin Cîțu and Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan downplayed the scenario of placing Bucharest under quarantine. Nicusor Dan said the restrictions in place now should be observed and promised to tighten the monitoring. 

(Photo: Gov.ro)

simona@romania-insider.com