During the 24 hours ending September 27 at noon, 2,559 new coronavirus infections were reported in Bucharest - 45.25% of the total of 5,655 cases recorded throughout the whole country (typically smaller on the first day of the week as well as on Sundays). Authorities explained that the figure includes cases not allocated during the previous days because of procedural delays.

For comparison, 653 cases were reported in the capital city on Sunday, and 991 last Friday. Last week, the maximum number registered for Bucharest by the authorities was 1,048.

The incidence rate in Bucharest increased from 3.77 on Friday to 4.95 on Monday.

The Strategic Communication Group (GCS) explained that the surge was prompted by allocating a number of 1,400 cases previously not allocated after conducting epidemiological investigations during the previous days. After filtering out the number of cases thus allocated, the figure does not indicate rapid surge, GCS explained.

On a political note, former reformist USR-PLUS minister of health Vlad Voiculescu claimed that the 1,400 cases had not been allocated precisely in order to keep the incidence rate low enough to allow the ruling Liberal Party to hold its Congress in Bucharest, B1tv.ro reported.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Robert Kneschke/Dreamstime.com)