COVID-19: Romania Places Northeastern City Under Quarantine

The global death toll has surpassed 37,000 with over 780,000 infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.

Here’s a roundup of developments in RFE/RL’s broadcast countries.

Romania

Romania’s government has placed the northeastern town of Suceava and eight surrounding villages under quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus, with more than a quarter of all cases in the country identified in the region.

Interior Minister Marcel Vela announced the measure, known as Military Order No. 6, late on March 30. All roads and highways into Suceava have been blocked by police and the army, with access allowed only for trucks carrying supplies.

EU member Romania, which has recorded 2,109 coronavirus infections and 65 deaths, declared a state of emergency on March 16.

With a population of just over 100,000, Suceava has 593 cases and one-third of all fatalities. More than half of the country’s 285 infected doctors, nurses, and other medical staff were in Suceava, officials said.

Health Minister Nelu Tataru said the spread was caused by poor management at the local hospital, where infected medical personnel was allowed to mingle with healthy colleagues, and people not respecting self-isolation rules.

The quarantine will last until mid-April at the end of the 30-day emergency period. Movements in the rest of the country have been restricted for almost a week.

With reporting by RFE/RL’s Romanian Service, Reuters, dii24.ro, and hotnews.ro