The Romanian government will reintroduce a night curfew and make health passes mandatory for entry to most public venues from Monday, as well as sending school children on vacation for two weeks, as it seeks to stem a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths, reports Reuters.

Romania has reported record numbers of daily coronavirus deaths and infections this month and the hospital system is stretched to breaking point. The country has the second-lowest coronavirus vaccination rate in the European Union.

"We are in a disaster situation," deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat said. "We have seen other countries go through this when there wasn't a weapon available, namely the vaccine."