Romania to reopen indoor farmers markets as infections slow

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania will reopen indoor farmers markets at the weekend after three weeks of closure, just before a Sunday national election, as the number of new coronavirus infections has slowed from last month, President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday.

Romania which has some of the European Union's least developed healthcare infrastructure and experienced one of the highest fatality rates in the bloc's eastern wing last month, closed vegetable and fruit markets as a precaution.

"After consulting experts, we will reopen markets. It's a reality that infections slowed down," Iohannis told reporters. "This should be a good news for both producers selling their produce and for consumers looking for year-end holiday-related purchases."

Tens of thousands of farmers have been forced to move outdoors in freezing weather in a move to fight a 10,000-daily coronavirus infection rate.

Romania is a major grains producer and its farms' vegetable and fruit output totals 5 million tonnes a year.

The government said Romania had recorded 4,916 new cases over the past day.

(Reporting by Radu Marinas; editing by David Evans)