The number of new cases of COVID-19 continues to be high, about 1,000 cases daily. On February 24, the figure exceeded 1,600. Specialists of the National Public Health Agency sound the alarm – the pandemic situation has worsened and things will not improve in the absence of mobilization at all levels.

Contacted by IPN for a comment, the head of the Agency’s Flu and VRI Epidemiological Surveillance Section Ștefan Gheorghiță said the number of cases rose because the people ignore the preventive measures instituted by the health authorities. Community transmission is witnessed. The samples that test positive represent now 30% of all the samples.

The number of serious cases also rose. There are now about 1,000 persons with COVID-19 in a serious state and approximately 300 persons in a very serious state. Approximately 50 patients were put on a ventilator. The recovery period following infection became longer and the number of treated cases declines as a result.

The spread of the virus can be stopped only by mobilization for obeying the sanitary norms in shops, public transport and other places where the imposed conditions must be strictly met – measuring of body temperature, disinfection, avoiding of crowdedness, etc.

“Given the worsening of the COVID-19 situation in the Republic of Moldova and all over the world, I call on the citizens to beware of the created epidemic situation and obey the imposed prevention measures. I call on the managers of all the organizations, institutions, business entities, public bodies of all levels to mobilize and concentrate on containing the pandemic and to obey the measures imposed by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission, including to avoid crowded places, to wear a mask, to maintain physical distancing, to see a doctor in case of symptoms typical of COVID-19,” stated Ștefan Gheorghiță.

By February 24, Moldova has got 180 150 infections with COVID-19 and 3 846 associated deaths. Globally, the virus infected 113 172 309 people and claimed 2 510 567 lives.