Romania reported the highest number of new cases in a single day this week as the number of infections rose to 16,704 and the death count stood at 1,094, authorities said.
There were 267 new infections in the last 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group said Saturday.
The new figures came as Romania eased restrictions on people’s movements, amid fears that the newfound freedom could lead to a rise in cases.
The two-month state of emergency which put the country under a strict lockdown has been replaced by a state of alert where rules have been relaxed.
Shops and parks have been reopened, and many took advantage of the summery weather to head to forests, parks and the zoo on Saturday.
On Friday it became compulsory to wear masks in indoor public spaces such as shops and on buses. People who don’t respect the rule can face fines between 500 and 2,500 lei, the Strategic Communication Group said.
People no longer need to fill out forms when they are leaving home, except when they visit another town or county. People living within 30 kilometers of a big city such as Bucharest or C;uj don’t need to fill out a form if they travel into the city.
There are currently 206 patients being treated in intensive care, a relatively low number and almost 9,600 patients have recovered from the virus since the outbreak, authorities said.
There are some 13,746 people in institutionalized quarantine and about 14,500 in isolation at home.
People traveling to Romania are obliged to stay in isolationfor 14 days upon arrival, either at home or with relatives or in institutionalized quarantine.
Some 2,918 Romanians abroad have contracted the disease so far and 103 have succumbed to the disease.
Almost 304,000 tests have been carried out so far.
