In contrast to the spring period, this time – rather than the elderly – people from younger generations constitute the majority of coronavirus patients, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Monday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller reported that compared with the spring period, the distribution of ages among confirmed positive cases has changed because while at the time persons over 65 accounted for some 25 per cent of cases, this time around those between the ages of 20 and 29 account for 24.9 per cent of infections.

She added that some of those infected are asymptomatic or only display mild symptoms, but they can also transmit the disease to the elderly or those suffering from chronic diseases, and in these cases, contracting the virus could even have fatal consequences.

According to her information, in the past 24 hours, 876 persons have been diagnosed with the infection, and as a result, since the beginning of the epidemic, 18,866 confirmed cases have been recorded. The number of active patients currently stands at 13,779, 463 persons require hospitalisation, while 35 persons require assisted ventilation, and three patients aged 58, 71 and 87 have died.

For about a week the number of diagnosed new cases has been near a thousand, she observed.

She stressed that Hungary and Hungarian health care are in a state of disease control preparedness in order to avoid the need for the introduction of additional measures “restricting our everyday lives even further”.

Ms. Müller drew attention to the fact that the list of places where the wearing of face masks is now compulsory has been extended significantly. In addition to public transport and shops, from Monday the wearing of face masks is also compulsory in cinemas, theatres, health care and social institutions as well as on customer service premises. They also recommend the wearing of face masks in all other places where it is not possible to keep a distance of a metre and a half, including beauty parlours and hairdressers.

The Chief Medical Officer also warned that from Monday it is not enough to wear scarves or kerchiefs; everyone is now required to wear actual face masks properly, covering both the nose and the mouth.

She said from Monday the duration of the compulsory home quarantine has been reduced to 10 days because the average incubation period of the virus is around 5 to 6 days. Those returning to Hungary from abroad, too, will be required to retire to quarantine for 10 days; however, from this they can be released with two negative PCR test results, she added.

Ms. Müller further reported that also from Monday the fixed official price of PCR tests is HUF 19,500.

According to her information, from Monday they will also release data regarding educational institutions. She added that at present an extraordinary break had been imposed due to coronavirus incidences in 20 nursery schools and in six schools.

Additionally, the Operational Group ordered the introduction of digital education outside the classroom in 186 institutions; in 177 cases in individual classes, while in the case of nine, entire schools have been ordered to switch to digital education.

In answer to a question, she said also during the second wave, containment measures are being taken according to a plan; they decide on the action plan in light of the prevailing epidemic situation. She also highlighted that the views of “coronavirus deniers and anti-vaccination movements are professionally utterly unfounded,” and hinder the containment effort.

In answer to a question regarding the method of the designation of care institutions, she said they designate institutions where all the conditions necessary for providing care for coronavirus patients are available, while they also take territorial distribution into consideration.

Ms. Müller said in response to another enquiry from the press that a price higher than the fixed official price cannot be charged for the PCR test under any circumstances. She also mentioned that so far more than 600,000 such tests had been performed, “a negligible minority against the payment of a fee,” while the rest free of charge.

Those are required to pay for the test in whose case there is no epidemiological indication for the performance of the test and who would like a test on a voluntary basis, as well as those who returning from abroad would like to shorten the duration of the ten-day quarantine.

In answer to a question, she pointed out that general practitioners had been given guidelines; however, every physician decides whether to order a virus test or not at their own discretion.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)