Monday, March 23rd

Second COVID-19 test for Romania’s PM

Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban was expected to perform a second COVID-19 test on Monday. If negative, test results will put an end to Mr. Orban’s 14-day self-quarantine imposed two weeks ago, according to a government statement. Ludovic Orban is expected to resume his duties at the government headquarters in Bucharest’s Victoria Plaza on Tuesday. Romania’s PM, his cabinet and some other members of his governing center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) entered a voluntary quarantine two weeks ago after PNL senator of the Black Sea port of Constantza Vergil Chițac was found to have contracted the virus.

Romania’s COVID-19 statistics

Romania confirmed 576 of COVID-19 infections on March 23, with 73 people cured and released from hospital. However, more than 72000 people remained under domestic quarantine for safety reasons. The Romanian government confirmed on Sunday the first three deaths in the country due to coronavirus. However, the number of deaths raised at 5 on Monday.The first victim was confirmed as infected with COVID-19 on March 18 and was being treated in a hospital. The number of confirmed COVID-19 infection cases increased by about a third in the last 24 hours. according to data released by the country’s Strategic Communication Group.

Romanian anthropologist Vintilă Mihăilescu dies

Romanian anthropologist Vintilă Mihăilescu has died on Sunday, March 22. He was 68. A graduate of the Bucharest University, Vintilă Mihăilescu became a scientist of the Bucharest Center for Anthropological Research where he worked between 1979 – 1990. In 1990, he was one of the founders of the Society of Cultural Anthropology in Romania. Vintilă Mihăilescu was a member of the scientific managing council of the Center for Balkan Society Studies in Graz, Austria, member of the Ethnobarometer in Rome/Amsterdam, the International Association of South-East European Anthropology (London) and South-East European Academic League in Sofia, Bulgaria. Author of studies and books, Vintilă Mihăilescu also became chief manager of the Romanian Peasant Museum in Bucharest where he worked between 2005 – 2010.. Also a dedicated journalist, Vintilă Mihăilescu also worked as editor at the Dilema Veche magazine.

Alexandru Danga, RADOR