We must avoid the development of epicentres, and it is responsible conduct that can best serve the attainment of this goal, the Chief Medical Officer stressed talking to journalists on Friday in Budapest. Cecília Müller outlined the method and disease control consequences of contact tracing through the example of the coronavirus infections that occurred in Mezőkövesd.

She highlighted that due to the management of the first wave of the epidemic, the number of infections is “relatively low” in Hungary; at the same time, the virus is present in the country, and any infected person can turn an entire area into an epicentre which we must seek to avoid.

Regarding the Mezőkövesd case, she said as part of contact tracing, public health experts and police officers contacted 334 persons in 29 settlements in three counties, and identified 43 infected persons, including 27 asymptomatic patients, 16 patients with symptoms, and five persons who required hospitalisation. The Chief Medical Officer said it is good news that 260 of the 334 persons have already been allowed to leave compulsory home quarantine, the last positive case was identified on 23 July, and so we can now say that we managed to stop the epidemic in the South Borsod County town.

Concerning the details, she said the first infected person was a school employee in whose case the authorities were unable to identify the source of the infection despite extremely thorough questioning during the disease control examinations carried out. Ms. Müller added that “there is no evidence” to suggest that this person was infected in the capital – in a health care institution or on public transport. The individual in question had a temperature and a cough, but was not tested for coronavirus infection, and on 16 June attended a staff meeting in the presence of another 27 persons where no one wore face masks. This person attended another meeting on 23 June, and also infected two family members.

The “second patient” – who was first diagnosed with coronavirus infection – was present at the second school staff meeting. The authorities immediately started contact tracing among their contacts, and the ensuing disease control investigation detected the disease, Ms. Müller said. According to her information, the authorities were required to trace the contacts of 31 persons, all contact persons were quarantined, and those displaying symptoms were treated according to their condition.

Speaking in words of praise about the work of Borsod County public health experts, Ms. Müller stressed that thanks to the effective disease control measures, infections did not spread beyond the known initial epicentre in the South Borsod County town. She mentioned as an example that an infected couple – not yet aware of being positive for coronavirus infection – infected 7 persons out of 42 passengers on a coach trip. At the same time, luckily, in another two communities they attended – a day school camp and a choir – no one was infected, she added.

She pointed out that in closed communities, in the event of an extended stay in an indoor space “the virus is highly virulent” primarily because – she said with reference to the specific case – there may be asymptomatic persons present.

Emphasising the importance of responsible conduct, the Chief Medical Officer warned that discipline “appears to be slackening somewhat”; we must continue to observe the disease control regulations. She suggested that only healthy persons without symptoms should go to work or attend communities. Cases suspected of coronavirus infection, she continued, must still be reported to the general practitioner by telephone who will make arrangements for sample-taking. Ms. Müller spoke about the use of face masks and the need for the regular and thorough washing of hands and airing, also observing that the Mezőkövesd case cost the public health authority and the government offices concerned some HUF 50 million, while the police another HUF 8 million.

Lajos Korpás, head of investigations at the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Police Constabulary said since 11 March the county police unit specifically set up for the purpose has been involved in contact tracing for around 500 persons.

At present in the county, more than 400 persons are in compulsory home quarantine, over 8,000 persons have already been allowed to leave quarantine, and the police have checked compliance with the rules of quarantine more than 50,000 times. The police Lt. Colonel said typical breaches involved the unauthorised leaving of quarantine, the reception of guests and the non-displaying or removal of the quarantine notice.

Róbert Kiss, a staff member of the duty centre of the Operational Group said in the past 15 days the police have traced 1,002 contact persons throughout the country, most of them in Budapest. He recalled that it is the duty of the police to order compulsory home quarantine at the borders in the case of persons arriving from red and yellow countries if they do not have the required negative virus tests. In the past 24 hours, 716 compulsory home quarantine orders have been issued, including 638 during border traffic controls.

According to the Lt. Colonel’s information, the number of compulsory home quarantine orders currently stands at 8,083, of which 7,364 were imposed at the borders; on Friday, 200 persons used the electronic quarantine application. Since 11 March, the police have checked compliance with the rules of compulsory home quarantine 677,923 times, and have detected irregularities in 3,156 cases, including 312 in the past 15 days, he detailed.

(MTI/Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister)