Romanian national in Italy tests negative for novel coronavirus infection

Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that medical tests so far have not confirmed the infection with the novel coronavirus in a Romanian citizen from Italy, whose case the media reported on Friday.

"The Romanian Embassy in Italy has taken, as a matter of urgency, steps with the relevant authorities to obtain information regarding the nationality of the person concerned and his health status. According to preliminary data obtained by telephone, the representatives of the local diplomatic mission confirmed that the person concerned is a Romanian national and that the medical tests to which he was subjected have so far not confirmed a coronavirus infection. The Romanian Embassy in Italy stays in touch with the hospital where the Romanian citizen is hospitalised, being ready to provide consular assistance if the situation so requires," MAE said Friday in response to a request for information filed by AGERPRES.

The media reported that a Romanian citizen, an employee of a hotel in Rome, had been infected with the new coronavirus.

The Italian government declared a state of emergency on Friday to speed up the fight against the new type of coronavirus and to avoid a possible contagion of the population, a day after the announcement regarding the detection of the first two cases in Italy, a couple of Chinese tourists, according to the AFP and DPA news agencies. The contaminated couple arrived in Italy in the city of Milan, and then stayed in Rome, where the two Asian tourists were when the first symptoms appeared. Their hotel room was isolated and they were placed under observation at the Spallanzani Hospital in Rome.