Romania is being gripped by a devastating wave of Covid-19 cases and deaths, leading the government to suspend non-emergency surgeries and activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for a Covid-19 drug and potentially more oxygenators, according to Politico.
The head of the country’s Emergency Situations Department, Raed Arafat said on Monday that the 30-day suspension would apply to hospitalizations for surgery or other treatments that can be rescheduled. This is to ensure there are beds with oxygen support and intensive care capacity.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is also being activated on Tuesday to potentially access additional stocks of tocilizumab and oxygen.
Romania is running out of beds in intensive-care units designated for patients suffering from the coronavirus as cases spike to a new daily record.
Coronavirus infections have surpassed Romania’s first wave, with a seven-day average of over 10,000 cases.
The health ministry is also assessing what medical equipment it needs, with a focus on oxygenators. As for transferring patients to other EU countries, Arafat explained the logistical complexities surrounding this and said it cannot be the magic solution that solves the problem.
“The problem must be solved by increasing capacity and possibly by increasing the number of staff,” said Arafat.