An epidemic epicentre developed at a Tiszaújváros construction site where 242 of the 1,717 tests performed came back positive. The Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Hospital is prepared for the reception of patients, one person from the city is currently being treated in the institution, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Friday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.

Regarding the high number of coronavirus patients in Tiszaújváros, Cecília Müller said during contact tracing the authorities declared 173 persons as close contacts.

The infected patients have been isolated; the goal is to prevent them from taking the infection into the city, she highlighted.

She said the disease control deployment unit immediately started work on the site, while units of the defence forces started the disinfecting of the area.

The expert added that for weeks the epidemic has typically spread communally, meaning that anyone can contract the virus anywhere; however, epicentres and “case accumulations” could also develop. This is the situation in Tiszaújváros.

She said from Thursday hospitals are providing dynamic data regarding the status of the epidemic. In the second wave of the pandemic, it is important to gather up-to-date information in the interest of identifying the necessary measures, forwarding protective equipment where it is required and designating hospitals, Ms. Müller said.

She drew attention to the fact that the number of patients treated in hospital is increasing, and the condition of patients can swiftly turn from moderate to severe. She asked everyone detecting any symptoms indicating coronavirus infection to contact their general practitioner so that the laboratory test can be performed.

The Chief Medical Officer said the evaluation of the national consultation on the coronavirus had been completed. This showed that members of the population supported the wearing of face masks in the largest majority; this is in harmony with the disease control measures and regulations in force.

In answer to a question, she denied the existence of a “letter” in which physicians are asked to use FFP2 masks more than once. Ms. Müller said they receive regular reports on the quantity of protective equipment from hospital commanders.

In response to suggestions that schools are interpreting the disease control protocol in different ways, Ms. Müller said the guidance issued to public education institutions lays down the relevant rules and recommendations. However, every institution is required to adopt the necessary measures as warranted by the local conditions. “We can say in general that a single class of students should come under the same consideration, but this is not necessarily true in every instance,” she said.

The disease control measures applicable to a given school depend on who is regarded as a close contact by the authority, she indicated.

Asked whether, in light of the present data, the authorities are keeping the epidemic under control, the Chief Medical Officer answered in the affirmative. She said they investigate every case suspected of coronavirus infection, and those in need of hospitalisation receive hospital treatment in the designated institutions.

In answer to another question, she said she does not recommend the wearing of rubber or other gloves on public transport; frequent hand disinfecting is much more beneficial.

Ms. Müller also highlighted that persons treated in hospital for coronavirus infection should be tested again before being released. If a person was in hospital with some other disease, there is no need for a PCR test.

Regarding the latest epidemic data, she said another 1,176 Hungarian citizens had been diagnosed with novel coronavirus infection; as a result, the number of confirmed cases in Hungary has risen to 35,222. Another fifteen patients have died, and with this the total number of fatalities has reached 913.

Ms. Müller highlighted that several of the deceased suffered from a variety of chronic underlying diseases, while in the case of five persons the cause of death was viral pneumonia, meaning, she said, that coronavirus disease was the direct cause of death. 993 coronavirus patients are being treated in hospital, including 82 requiring assisted ventilation.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)