GCS: 4,383 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection; tests conducted in past 24h - over 20,000

A number of 4,383 new cases of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the past 24 hours, over 20,000 tests being conducted, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed, on Sunday. These are cases that had no previous positive test, the quoted source mentions. Until Sunday, on Romanian territory, 859,709 cases of persons infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed. 783,642 persons were declared cured. At the national level, up to this time, 6,328,098 RT-PCT tests were processed, as well as 434,247 rapid antigen tests. In the past 24 hours, 15,192 RT-PCR tests were conducted (8,599 on the basis of the cases definition and medical protocol and 6,593 on demand), as well as 5,343 rapid antigen tests. Distinctly from the newly-confirmed cases, following retesting of patients confirmed positive, 926 persons were reconfirmed as positive.   *** In the past 24 hours, 44 persons infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus have died, according to data sent, on Sunday, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS). According to the GCS, of the 44 deaths, 28 were men and 16 women, admitted to hospitals in the counties of Alba, Arges, Bacau, Bistrita-Nasaud, Bihor, Brasov, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Dolj, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Maramures, Mehedinti, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Timis, Vaslui, Ilfov and the City of Bucharest. Of these, 3 deaths were recorded in the 50-59 years old category, 15 in the 60-69 years old category, 20 in the 70-79 years old category and 6 in the over 80 years old category. According to the GCS, 41 of the deaths occurred in patients with known comorbidities, while 3 patients deceased had no known associated diseases. Since the beginning of the pandemic and up to now, 21,483 persons diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection died in Romania. A number of 186 Romanian citizens abroad have died due to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and up to now. At the global level, until March 13, 2,598,892 persons have died.   *** Salaj County has entered the red scenario, after recording an infection rate of 3.01 cases per 1000 persons on Sunday, raising the number of counties in the red scenario to seven, with Bucharest increasing to an incidence rate of 3.98/1000 persons due to the 1,179 cases newly confirmed on Sunday, announced the Strategic Communication Group (GCS). The counties in the red scenario are Timis - 5.49 cases of infection with SARS-CoV-2 per 1000 persons; Ilfov - 4.41; City of Bucharest - 3.98, Brasov - 3.75, Cluj - 3.53, Hunedoara - 3.03 and Salaj - 3.01. A number of 17 counties are in the yellow scenario (incidence rate between 1.5 and 3), the highest infection rates being in the counties of Alba - 2.81 and Constanta - 2.74. Furthermore, 18 counties are in the green scenario (under 1.5 cases per 1000 persons), the lowest infection rates with SARS-CoV-2 being recorded in the counties of Harghita - 0.83, Buzau - 0.84 and Suceava - 0.97. According to statistics, the average at the national level is of 2.97 cases per thousand persons. According to the GCS, the areas with the most newly-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2, as compared to the previous report, are the City of Bucharest - 1,179, and the counties of Timis - 433, Ilfov - 275, Brasov - 231, Iasi - 205, and Cluj - 203. The counties with the fewest newly-confirmed cases are Tulcea - 16, Vrancea - 20, Harghita - 21, and Bistrita-Nasaud - 21. In the past 24 hours, 4,383 new cases of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed. AGERRPES (RO - author: Daniel Alexandru Florea, Alina Novaceanu, editor: Georgiana Tanasescu; EN - editor: Razvan-Adrian Pandea)