Two Cases Of West Nile Meningitis Confirmed In Buzau County
Two cases of West Nile meningitis have been confirmed in a man and a woman in Buzau County (south-eastern Romania).
The two people have moderate or mild forms of the disease, while a third person from Buzau is suspected of West Nile virus infection.
Epidemiologist Carmen Scantei from the Buzau Public Health Department said a case of West Nile meningitis has been confirmed in a 36-year old man in Buzau, and the second case was confirmed in a 74-year old woman in Amaru (Buzau County). The two cases have already been confirmed by tests conducted in capital Bucharest. Also, a third person from Buzau is suspected of West Nile virus infection and lab results are expected in upcoming days. (Romania Libera)
Children, The Elderly, Medical Staff And Patients With Chronic Diseases To Get Flu Vaccines
Children, the elderly, the medical staff and patients with chronic diseases will get flu vaccines free of charge starting October 15.
The Romanian Health Ministry bought 500,000 doses of anti-flu vaccine for the immunization free of charge of at-risk patients. Health Ministry spokesperson Oana Grigore said the vaccination campaign starts after October 15.
“We are talking about the acquisition of 500,000 doses of anti-flu vaccine which cost RON5,71 million. Last Friday, a total 300,000 doses were received and will be distributed to Public Health Departments,” said Grigore. She added that the remaining doses will be received by the end of October. (Adevarul)
IMF Sees Romania GDP Growth at 3.4% This Year, 3.9% In 2016
Romania is expected to post an economic growth of 3.4% this year and 3.9% in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund’s fall World Economic Outlook report released Tuesday.
In its spring report in April, the IMF saw Romania’s economy growing 2.7% this year and 2.9% in 2016.
Inflation is seen at minus 0.4% this year and is expected to stay negative in 2016 as well, at -0.2%. Back in April, the IMF estimated an annual inflation rate of 1% for 2015 and 2.4% for 2016.
Romania’s current account deficit is seen at 0.7% this year and is expected to widen to 1.5% in 2016. The previous IMF report saw the deficit at 1.1% in 2015 and 1.5% in 2016.
Romania’s gross domestic product increased 3.7% and 3.8% in seasonally adjusted data in the first half of the year. In the second quarter, Romania’s economy grew 3.2% and 3.7% year-on-year in seasonal adjusted data, and increased 0.1% compared with the first quarter, according to the statistics institute INS. This year’s state budget considered a GDP growth of 2.5%, while the most recent estimate of Romania’s National Forecast Commission sees economic growth at 3.3% this year.
Early May, the European Commission revised up its economic growth forecast fort Romania to 2.8% from 2.7 for 2015, and to 3.3% from 2.9% for 2016, considering solid domestic consumption and a rebound in investments. (Adevarul)
Government To Complete Public Sector Wage Bill By October 15
The Romanian Government will complete the bill regulating public sector wages by October 15 so that it takes effect in the 2016 election year.
On the other hand, the Executive is stalling controversial bills targeting, among others, lawmakers’ pensions, without rejecting them by vote. The Parliament on Tuesday put off the bill regulating lawmakers’ pensions.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the bill regulating the wages of public officials must be subject to debates in Parliament as the Government has no intention to issue an emergency ordinance in this respect. (Romania Libera)
Lawmakers Put Gabriel Vlase In Charge Of Electoral Code Commission
Lawmakers adopted a draft decision on Tuesday, with 312 votes in favor and three abstentions, appointing Gabriel Vlase as president of the electoral code commission.
Social democrat senator Gabriela Firea has recently criticized liberals’ decision to stage a go-slow strike regarding the adoption of the correspondence voting. Firea argued that liberals are not interested in the voting possibilities of Romanians abroad considering that liberal lawmaker Mihai Voicu had stepped down as head of the Parliament electoral code commission. She added that liberals’ decision to resort to go-slows in order to speed up the adoption of the correspondence voting, as they say, proves that they are not taking this situation seriously.
Social democrat Liviu Dragnea, in turn, said liberals are to blame for delaying debates on the correspondence voting after Voicu resigned from the position of president of the electoral code commission.
Alina Gorghiu, co-president of the National Liberal Party, asked for a last round of talks on the correspondence voting upon President Iohannis’ return from his visit to the United States. (Puterea)