Romania added 9,714 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily count since the start of the pandemic. It is the first time the number of daily cases exceeds the 9,000 threshold.

The new cases were recorded out of 37,685 tests carried out over the same interval.

Bucharest added 1,084 cases, while two counties recorded more than 500 cases: Cluj (534) and Timiș (551). More than 300 cases were reported in Brașov (323), Iași (394), Mureș (343), Prahova (396), and Sibiu (340). Seven other counties had more than 200 cases: Alba (218), Argeș (213), Bihor (279), Constanța (279), Dolj (263), Ilfov (278), and Vâlcea (267).

An infection rate higher than 3 per 1,000 inhabitants was recorded in Bucharest (4.45), and twelve other counties: Alba (4.96), Arad (3.91), Bihor (4.77), Bistrița Năsăud (3.06), Cluj (5.33), Dolj (3.32), Maramureș (3.34), Mureș (3.86), Sălaj (5.77), Sibiu (4.43), Timiș (5.48), and Vâlcea (3.02).

The total number of cases reached 276,802 on November 5, the Strategic Communications Group announced in the daily report, while 191,085 patients have recovered.

The death toll rose to 7,540 after 121 coronavirus patients died in the past 24 hours. Five of them were aged between 40 and 49, 12 between 50 and 59, 37 between 60 and 69, 38 between 70 and 79, and 29 were older than 80. Of these, 112 had previous medical conditions. 

The number of patients admitted to intensive care units rose to 1,014, another record high. In total, 12,061 coronavirus patients were admitted to hospitals in the country. 

So far, 3,379,609 tests were carried out at a national level, 37,685 of them in the past 24 hours.

The numbers regarding the persons under isolation and quarantine will be released later as they are still being updated, the authorities said.

On November 5, the towns of Gherla, in Cluj county, Zalău, Jibou, and Cehu Silvaniei, in Sălaj county, and eight localities in Timiş county were placed under quarantine for two weeks. 

So far, the local authorities said they were not considering a country-wide lockdown and would focus instead on measures taken depending on the situation in every locality. On Wednesday, November 4, health minister Nelu Tătaru said he did not expect a lockdown would be implemented and argued localities could avoid being quarantined if everyone followed the rules in place. He admitted, however, that more than 10,000 Covid-19 cases daily could overwhelm the health system, Agerpres reported.

(Photo: Vit Kovalcik/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com