Romania's COVID-19 case count rises by 8,499; tests performed in past 24 hours: 35,610

As many as 8,499 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Romania were recorded in the last 24 hours, following 35,610 tests nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS), the official novel coronavirus communication task force, reported on Friday. These are cases of patients that had not previously tested positive. As Friday, 457,848 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania. A total of 326,657 people were declared cured. According to GCS, to date, 4,048,536 tests have been processed nationwide. Of these, 35,610 were performed in the last 24 hours, 23,026 based on the case definition and medical protocol and 12,584 on request. Also, since GCS's previous daily reporting the results of 1,039 tests processed before the last 24 hours and submitted until November 27 were reported. As many as 13,157 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised in specialist health facilities, of which 1,226 in intensive care. In Romania, 46,856 people confirmed with the new coronavirus infection are in isolation at home and 11,916 are in institutional isolation. Also, 69,180 people are in quarantine at home, and 62 in institutionalised quarantine. A total of 1,208 retested positive for COVID-19. According to GCS, Constanta County ranks first in the country in terms of the 14-day cumulative SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate, at 7.54, up from Thursday's 7.1. Next are Sibiu County with 7.49, down from Thursday's 7.63, and Cluj County with 6.89, down from 6.93 a day before. In Bucharest the rate is 6.63 per 1,000 population, up from 6.56 on Thursday. A high is also recorded in the counties of Brasov - 6.79, Alba - 5.65, Arad - 5.36, and the city of Timisoara - 5.12. The counties with a low rate are Gorj - 1.48, Harghita - 1.59 and Vrancea - 1.61. None of the country's counties are in the green zone. Another 172 people (109 men and 63 women) infected with the novel coronavirus died, bringing Romania's COVID-19 total death toll to 10,884. According to GCS, 165 of the deaths were in patients with comorbidities, three did not have comorbidities, and four have none reported to date. In the last 24 hours, law enforcement issued 6,345 fines amounting to 1,018,355 lei, for violations of Law 55/2020 on measures to prevent and combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. AGERPRES (RO - authors: Roberto Stan, Petronius Craiu, editor: Mihai Simionescu, Catalin Alexandru; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)