The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, spoke in a press conference about the evolution of respiratory viruses in Romania.
Alexandru Rafila announces a gradual increase in the number of viruses in Romania. Archive
Here are the most important statements:
“In January, 44,554 cases of respiratory infections were registered. It’s about the total. This, compared to a multi-year average for the same period of 73,000 cases, so 38% fewer cases compared to the previous season and 22% fewer cases compared to the last week of last year. but it is also possible to discuss an underreporting as it was a period with many days off”.
“In terms of clinical flu cases, there was a slight increase: 4,694 cases compared to 4,168 recorded in the last week of last month. A slight increase was also registered compared to last week”.
“In terms of severe acute respiratory infections, 23 cases were recorded nationally compared to 16 in the previous season’s week.”
“No deaths from the flu virus have been reported this week. The total number still remains at four”.
“In terms of laboratory confirmation of influenza infection, we have 356 cases of influenza, and for metapneumovirus only one case has been confirmed.”
“We recommend washing hands with soap and water, avoiding crowded places.”
“Presentation to the UPU should be done in serious cases”.
“We recommend vaccination because the period until antibodies appear is 15 days.”
Alexandru Rafila, about the HMPV virus: “It’s a known virus. It didn’t come from China”
“Most children can get sick with this virus at least once. Anyone can take it. It spreads quickly if you come into contact with an infected person. Incubation is 3-6 days. The symptoms are mild. There is no vaccine”
“There’s no point in doing mass testing for a trivial infection.”
“The virus was identified 20 years ago, I don’t know where this metapneumovirus hysteria came from”
“Wearing the mask, an alternative for those who are sick to not spread the disease. But I’m not referring to the metapneumovirus, but rather to the flu.”
“And in previous seasons there were cases. 4 in the 2021-2022 season, 6 in the following season, i.e. in the year 2022-2023, and last year there were 7 cases. nothing new.”
“There is no evidence of increased transmissibility or greater severity of this virus in Romania.
“There are tens of thousands of unconfirmed cases of metapneumovirus in Romania”.
“Antibiotics are not recommended.”
“People with a low immune system are at risk of certain complications. Those with chronic diseases or children”.
“We don’t know where the rumor started that it was a serious illness. I don’t know where the hysteria started.”
“False information is often promoted by people who should be responsible for what they say.”
“The communication doctors are making amplifies unverified information.”
“I told the head doctor from Oradea, the one who declared that he discovered the virus for the first time in Romania, to send him congratulations.”
Alexandru Rafila: “The Oradea case is nothing special”
The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, declared on Thursday that the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is not new, being identified for the first time in 2001, and tens of thousands of cases are registered in Romania every year. “It is not about any kind of novelty. It is about a virus that was identified for the first time in 2001 and that is responsible for a good part of respiratory viruses, especially in the cold season. An etiological diagnosis is not made, because the vast majority of infections are trivial, they are simply colds that occur more frequently in children or people over 65 years old. Sometimes, as with any virus, more serious cases can occur and then an etiological diagnosis is made. This year, one such case was identified by laboratory methods, the one from Oradea, but it is nothing special, it is not even about an important virus from China. It is about a virus that usually evolves at this time in the Northern Hemisphere”, Minister Alexandru Rafila declared on Thursday. The virus produces colds, he added, especially in the cold season, for many years, in Europe, in the northern hemisphere and “in the world in general”.
Referring to the flu, Alexandru Rafila stated that in Romania it is not yet an epidemic. “For now, it is not an epidemic-type evolution of the flu infection, the flu is being monitored in the first place.”
Alexandru Rafila, about the objectives of his mandate
“It is important to have a new health legislation. Let’s not change the Health Law”.
“Some sectoral laws are needed. It’s a complex process”.
“The first objective: to continue the projects started. There are over 3,000. In the first half of this year, we will conclude the projects with family doctors. We then have to manage nosocomial infections, hospitals, specialized outpatient clinics. Investments through PNRR will continue.
“We are interested in human resources reform. We have a partnership with the College of Doctors”.
“We need the recognition of professional qualifications, de-bureaucratization, the return of Romanian doctors to the country”
“Residency reform is needed. Let’s hire people with a vocation”.
“I would be happy if there were also the financial resources for these projects.”
“You will see in four, five years a change in the health system”
