More than 500 people have been monitored by Romania’s health authorities in the last two weeks, either because they returned from Africa or because they are foreign students coming from regions affected by Ebola.

So far, there have been two Ebola suspicions in Romania, but both were refuted following tests, according to Adrian Streinu Cercel, director of Romania’s Contagious Diseases Institute Matei Bals, according to Digi 24 news station.

All those who come from Africa are monitored by the authorities. They are registered when they enter the country and their health is evaluated. The monitoring period is 21 days after entering the country, said health minister Nicolae Banicioiu, quoted by Mediafax. Some 20 people are currently monitored.

Banicioiu added that Romania is ready to deal with Ebola cases and that an entire floor of the Matei Bals Institute was prepared for such an emergency. It has 15 beds, its own lab and is fully isolated from the rest of the hospital, Banicioiu said.

editor@romania-insider.com