A continuous rise in the number of COVID-19 cases has been witnessed in Moldova during ten consecutive weeks. The number of new weekly cases rose to 8,207. The average number of daily case was 1,172, up 12% on a week before. The infection rate nationwide the past seven days was 220 cases per 100,000 people, up from 211 cases per 100,000 people a week before. “This shows that the number of COVID-19 cases increases at an accelerated pace,” secretary of state at the Ministry of Health Svetlana Nicolaescu stated in a news conference in which she presented the epidemiological situation related to COVID-19 for the period between September 27 and October 3.
As to the situation by regions, the municipalities of Bălți and Chisinau are the most affected areas in the country. About 1/3 of all the new cases were reported in the municipality of Chisinau. Bălți is the most affected region by the size of population, with an incidence of over 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The Transnistrian region, the municipality of Chisinau, the districts of Sângerei and Edineț crossed the level of 250 cases per 100,000 people, which is the level of a red alert. Appropriate measures need to be implemented in these territories.
The infection rate reported in Moldova falls under the consequences of the fourth COVID-19 pandemic wave that embraced the whole Europe. The rate recorded in Moldova matches the average for the countries of Eastern Europe. The incidence in Romania is even higher.
As to the severity of the epidemic process, Svetlana Nicolaescu said that this is determined by the cases of death. A number of 159 deaths from Sars-Cov-2 were logged last week. The average number of deaths rose to over 22 cases a day, as opposed to 14 deaths a week before. Over 80% of the victims were persons older than 60. But there are also single cases involving young persons. None of the 159 persons who died completed the two-dose vaccination series.
As regards the severity of the infection processes, among cases that needed hospitalization, 508 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to the hospital on average a day. The number of patients who need intensive care rose to 200 patients a day. The number of persons who needed intubation was of over 30 persons, as opposed to 10-20 in the previous period. “Of the 2,566 persons who are now in hospitals, 289 are under intensive care and 39 of them were intubated,” stated Svetlana Nicolescu.
