On October 18, Romania reached a seven-day average of 18.02 new deaths per 1 million inhabitants, according to Covid-19 data analyzed by Our World in Data. It was second only to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with 19.26 deaths per 1 million. The EU indicator was 1.86.

During the week of October 11 – October 17, Romania added 100,620 cases, a 10.8% increase compared to the week before. It reported 2,361 deaths, 27.29% more than the week before.

On October 19, the country reported its highest daily Covid-19 case count, deaths and admission of patients in critical state to date: 18,863 Covid-19 cases, 561 deaths, and 1,805 Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care units.

Hospitals reported having to place beds in hallways and turn emergency rooms into Covid-19 wards to deal with the inflow of patients. The intensive care units were packed, and several patients were transported to Hungary for treatment. 

Romania has also requested assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and received equipment and drugs for Covid-19 patients from Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, and Italy. Twenty doctors and nurses from the Republic of Moldova were sent to the hospital in Lețcani, in northeastern Romania's Iași county, to help treat Covid-19 patients.

(Photo: Akvaphoto2012/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com