Health Minister Nelu Tataru said on Friday that the count of novel coronavirus infections in Romania is still slightly rising amid relaxation and violations of health safety rules.

"There is still a slight rise and we will have to get used for two weeks to managing this growth that has started at this moment and that we have to ascribe precisely to these relaxations and those breaches of rules," Tataru told Antena 3 private broadcaster.

He said that a large number of tests had been carried out and that it was normal for more case confirmation to exist.

"We also have a larger number of tests, it is normal to have a larger number of confirmations. Our attention is very much directed to the intensive care units. The management of these intensive care units and intensive care beds is currently the centre of our attention, precisely in order to be able to be where much needed. (...) Three days ago there were instances in which we had to transfer a patient from Bucharest to a mobile ICU that is at the local hospital in Ploiesti," said Tataru.

According to him, in areas where there is a shortage of places in intensive care, the mobile intensive care units will operate, with 12 beds each.

"At the moment we only have specific areas where there is this need for intensive care beds," Tataru said.

He told those who had eased up that it was not the right time and that another effort had to be made to eradicate the virus.

"Two messages: to those who have eased up at this moment I say it is not yet the right time, we must make another effort so that we can eradicate this first pandemic moment. To those who do not believe, I would invite them to see these days how things are going in the hospitals in the country and not to wish what we see now in hospitals on those close to them or even to them, because it really is a disease that does not choose and does not forgive," said Tataru. AGERPRES (RO - author: Roberto Stan, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)