As many as 9,799 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Romania were recorded in the last 24 hours, following 38,863 tests nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS), the official novel coronavirus communication task force, reported on Saturday.

These are cases of patients that had not previously tested positive.

As of Wednesday, 324,094 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania.

A total of 218,086 people were declared cured.

According to GCS, to date, 3,557,958 tests have been processed nationwide. Of these, 38,863 were performed in the last 24 hours, 23,110 based on the case definition and medical protocol and 15,753 upon request.

Another 203 people - 116 men and 87 women - infected with the novel coronavirus died, bringing the COVID-19 total death toll in Romania to 8,389.

Of these, one death was recorded in the 20-29 years age group, three in the 30-39 age range, five deaths in the 40-49 years age category, 31 deaths in the 50-59 age group, 48 deaths in the 60-69 age range, 57 deaths in the 70-79 age range and 58 deaths in people over 80 years old.

According to the GCS, 196 patients had comorbidities, five patients had no comorbidities, and for two patients no comorbidities have been reported so far.

In the last 24 hours, law enforcement issued 8,475 fines amounting to 1,237,685 lei for violations of Law 55/2020 on measures to prevent and combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A number of 12,687 people are hospitalised with COVID-19 in specialist facilities, out of whom 1,092 in intensive care.

In Romania, 42,760 people confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus are in isolation at home and 12,770 are in institutional isolation.

Also, 86,177 people are in quarantine at home, and 19 people in institutional quarantine.

A total of 2,074 people retested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Sibiu County has registered an infection rate of over 7 per 1,000 inhabitants, while the counties of Cluj, Salaj and Timis have recorded an infection rate of over 6 per 1,000 inhabitants. The municipality of Bucharest has an incidence of 5.04 per 1,000 inhabitants, down from the previous day when it was 5.11, followed by Cluj, with 6.9, Timis - 6.52 and Salaj - 6.46, Alba - 5.6, Bihor - 5.54.

Bucharest City - 946 and the counties of Cluj - 707, Timis - 405, Ilfov - 398, Iasi - 391, Mures - 323, Sibiu - 362, Brasov - 332 are the areas with the most newly confirmed cases of coronavirus from the previous reporting.

Most of the SARS-CoV-2 infection cases in Romania so far have been recorded in Bucharest City -45,741, as well as the counties of Cluj - 13,868, Iasi - 13,755, Timis - 13,434, Prahova - 13,332, and Brasov - 12,544.

The number of Romanians abroad confirmed with the novel coronavirus remains constant at 6,862 and the death toll at 126.AGERPRES (RO - authors: Roberto Stan, Petronius Craiu, editors: Claudia Stanescu, Andreea Rotaru, Mihai Simionescu, Catalin Alexandru; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)