Acting health minister Cseke Attila said that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from being over in Romania. According to him, the country could reach over 20,000 cases daily.

"We are not yet at the peak of the pandemic. We should have similar values for several days to reach a certain plateau. Or, even if the numbers go up or down by a thousand, by two thousand (e.n. COVID cases), it's still not enough to say that we are on a plateau," Attila told B1 TV on Thursday, according to Agerpres.

"There is this possibility to reach over 20,000 cases (e.n. per day). It is a possibility that, unfortunately, should not be ruled out," he added.

The health minister also said that a higher vaccination rate would help the medical staff exhausted by the pandemic.

In related news, acting health minister Cseke Attila said that Romania should reach a vaccination rate of over 70% to avoid going through new pandemic waves.

"The point is, we can't stop at 40% or 50%. That's what we all need to understand. Even if the fourth wave will pass - and the question is how it will pass - […] if we don't continue and don't go up to 70%, over 70%, we will have the fifth wave, and possibly another wave after that," Cseke Attila told Digi24.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's COVID-19 vaccine tracker, Romania continues to have the second-lowest vaccination rate in Europe, even though more people have decided to get the vaccine in recent weeks. Over 99,000 people received a COVID-19 vaccine in 24 hours (according to the October 21 report), and over 62,000 of them got the first dose.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Sabin Cirstoveanu)