Coronavirus Chronicle in Moldova: Incidence Rates Continue to Grow

Marina DRAGALIN

The epidemiological situation in Moldova continues to develop according to negative scenarios. The incidence is growing rapidly, including among children. Mortality rates and the proportion of severe cases are increasing. Experts predict a busy autumn for the healthcare system

For several weeks, the World Health Organization has been registering a decrease in the rate of spread of a new type of coronavirus. The organization's latest weekly report indicates a 10% decrease in the number of new cases of COVID-19. Most cases are detected in the Middle East, in the western Pacific Ocean, in North and South America. In total, almost 234 million people fell ill with the coronavirus, of which about 4.8 million died. Amid the relatively stabilized situation around the globe, the negative trends observed in Moldova look particularly alarming. The rate of the disease is increasing. Recently, the number of new cases per day has skyrocketed and almost reached the 1,600 mark. Among the newly infected, 82% are not vaccinated and only 2% are fully vaccinated. A fifth of the patients are those in moderate to severe condition. Moldova is witnessing a growing number of young people and children infected with coronavirus. Among children, babies under a year suffer the most. About 60% of children with severe forms of the disease are infants. In the coming days, a new COVID  department for children will open in the City Children's Clinical Hospital “Valentin Ignatenco”. Children with extremely severe forms of the disease are brought to the Institute of Mother and Child and hospitalized in the infectious diseases department COVID-19. As of today, about 20 children have been hospitalized, with 8 of them having a severe form of the disease. Since the beginning of the pandemic in Moldova, 20.5 thousand children and adolescents have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Mortality continues to grow. In the week of September 20-26, 100 more COVID-19 patients died, which is 35% (!) more than during the previous week. At the same time, almost 20% of those who died are under 60. In total, almost 294.5 thousand people fell ill in Moldova, 6777 of them died. The situation in the healthcare system is becoming increasingly challenging. Coronavirus hospitals are almost full. The authorities plan to expand the bed fund by 300 places, including in intensive care units.  On Wednesday, September 29, the Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco visited the Chisinau COVID Center at Moldexpo without prior notice, where she talked with medical staff, visited wards and patients. Following the inspection, the minister said that the center has turned into a real field hospital, and she will discuss in the ministry the ways to unburden it. “What can I say briefly? The COVID center is a lot of pain, which can be seen even in fogged glasses. And if you don't see it, you feel it. There's pain everywhere. From the wrapped corpses already waiting to be taken out, to the big eyes of the ambulance crew nurse who brought the patient. From someone's muffled moans to the pleading grandmother with outstretched hands who wanted to get up. Any attempt I made to calm her down was doomed to failure, and she calmed down a little only when I snuggled up to her and patted her on the back,” the minister said. Ala Nemerenco noted that she “bows to her colleagues who work in such conditions.” “It is clear that this center was opened solely out of good intentions. And when the last wave hit it hard in the spring, it turned into a real field hospital. There are only 400 beds in the hospital (almost two times less than in the entire republican hospital). There are 30 beds in the intensive care unit and at the head of each there is a large oxygen tank. There are more of them here than in any other hospital of the same size,” the minister wrote. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita appealed to entrepreneurs to show solidarity with the authorities in the fight against coronavirus, “We are in this crisis together, and its escalation will lead to losses for everyone. No one wants to have more patients and more deaths. Make sure that the commercial units you manage do not serve customers who do not wear a protective mask, and that all employees wear masks throughout the shift. This is the simplest thing we can do to stop the wave of infections.” “Living in the Republic of Moldova, we are the most vaccinated people in this region. And being the generation that is on average 90% vaccinated against a whole list of diseases by now, we have come to say no to vaccination against COVID. We said that we like to live like this, in abnormal conditions when universities and schools are being closed and some economic agents are unable to continue their activities. And apparently, we’re okay with waiting for something,” Nemerenco stressed. Vaccination of the population remains another means to stabilize the epidemiological situation. To date, the immunization level in Moldova is about 22%: the total of 1.23 million vaccine doses have been administered to 573 thousand people. The Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco criticized the Moldovan residents for refusing vaccination. Up to 98% of patients with severe COVID-19 are not vaccinated. 7-14 deaths are recorded daily due to complications caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The authorities are looking for ways to activate the process of the population immunization. In particular, citizens who will be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be provided with two days off. According to Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, this decision is intended to encourage employers to promote vaccination in their teams and remove obstacles for employed citizens. Meanwhile, the situation continues to deteriorate and is approaching the previously predicted negative scenarios – up to 3 thousand cases per day. Experts agree that the Moldovan healthcare system is expecting a rather stressful autumn.