The start of the new school year and the local elections could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, especially if the prevention rules aren’t followed, Romanian health minister Nelu Tataru said. 

He warned that Romania could see more than 2,000 COVID-19 cases daily if the prevention measures are not respected.

“It depends on all of us if we have a favorable evolution, even decreasing at a certain moment, in October, or if we go back to having an ascending slope of new cases,” Tataru told local news channel Digi24.

“We’re preparing hospitals for 2,000 cases a day, but it depends a lot on how severe these cases will be,” the minister also said.

The new school year will start on September 14 in Romania, and the health minister believes that the impact of this event on the evolution of the coronavirus pandemic in the country will be seen towards the end of the month. The local elections are also scheduled for this month, on September 27.

Romania reported 1,136 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, September 8, bringing the total to 97,033. So far, the highest number of daily cases was reported on August 27 - 1,504.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Ministerul Sanatatii)