The epidemic has arrived at a rest point which is confirmed by the fact that in the past twenty-four hours there have been no significant changes in the epidemic data, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Thursday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller said since the beginning of the epidemic, there have been 3,954 confirmed coronavirus infections in Hungary; in the past 24 hours, the number of infections has risen by 23 – around as many as observed in the last few days. She added that the number of fatalities had risen by 5 to 539, while the number of recovered patients had increased to 2,205. The number of recovered patients is almost double the number of active infections currently standing at 1,210.

She also said simultaneously with the cessation of the state of danger on 20 June, the measures introduced in the interest of the elderly and those living in closed communities will change, and the visiting ban in social institutions will be partially lifted.

In this regard, she said this means that it will be possible to visit residents and patients living in elderly care homes and all other social care institutions, subject to the maintenance of maximum safety. Only healthy family members will be allowed to visit, they will be required to wear face masks, and at entrances hand sanitisers will have to be provided. If there is more than one resident in a room, only one visitor will be allowed to be present on the premises at any one time.

It will also be possible to hold church events in these institutions, subject to the maintenance of social distancing, while residents will be allowed to receive hairdressers and pedicure specialists.

The Chief Medical Officer further highlighted that new residents or residents returning from hospital can only be admitted to social institutions if a laboratory test performed not more than four days previously verifies that they are not infected. If a person was isolated due to coronavirus infection within an institution, in their case the visiting ban will remain in force, she added.

At the same time, Ms. Müller said thank you to those working in social institutions who, she said, heroically stood their ground for months, and “provided care for residents well beyond what their job descriptions required”.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)