Romania, Bulgaria hit pandemic death highs amid vaccines lag

By STEPHEN McGRATH
Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania has reported a record daily number of 591 COVID-19 deaths amid a persistently low vaccination rate. Only 37% of Romania’s adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to a European Union average of 75%. Romanian authorities said Tuesday that 541 of the 591 people who had died of COVID-19 since the day before were unvaccinated. A recent wave of coronavirus infections has overwhelmed the country’s ailing health care system. A doctor who is a health statistician told The Associated Press that Romania’s high COVID-19 mortality rate is the result of strong-anti-vaccination movements, poor medical education and a national response that has failed to curb the health crisis.