Romania's novel coronavirus testing strategy might change

Senior official with Romania's Ministry of Health Horatiu Moldovan said on Tuesday that there is talk of changing the country's COVID-19 testing strategy, given that in two weeks' time there could be more than 7,000 tests per day.

He said that an increase in the number of tests for the frontline doctors and dialysis patients is being considered.

"Currently in Romania, there are 57 laboratories capable of testing patients for coronavirus. Of these 57 laboratories, 43 are operational, that is 57 can do the tests, and 43 are actually doing. The test capacity has increased eight times since we started. We followed a case definition in which we tested symptomatic patients according to rules worked out by the scientific board of the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health. As the test capacity increases, we expect to exceed 7,000 test a day in one to two weeks, " Moldovan told Digi 24 private television broadcaster.

According to Moldovan, the expert board reconvened to review the testing protocol.

"We have called again on this board of experts, which includes renowned infectious physicians, epidemiologists, bacteriologists, to reconvene to review the protocol. The review is currently underway. We met again yesterday to design a document in this regard. We are considering, we are discussing without a decision being made yet, to increase the number of tests in the dialysis area - patients and healthcare professionals, as well as for the frontline healthcare workers. We will return with a press statement after we make this decision, as we take it in the coming days," added Moldovan.

He said that it is hard to train the staff to administer the test.