Hungary has done very well as regards its disease control effort, and has likewise done well in the coronavirus epidemic from a professional point of view, the Director General of the South Pest Central Hospital stated at the Sunday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.
István Vályi-Nagy highlighted that in Hungary the number of fatalities falling on one million persons was much lower than in more advanced Western European countries. He pointed out that the central hospital had achieved significant results in the treatment of severe coronavirus patients and patients referred to intensive care; they were among the first in the world to start the application of blood plasma therapy, and therapy against the immunological storm which could even lead to death.
So far, twenty patients have received these innovative therapies, 12 persons are being treated also at present, and only one person has died during these treatments, the expert said, adding that at present four persons are receiving blood plasma therapy, while one patient has already completed therapy and has been released from intensive care.
Mr Vályi-Nagy also said at present they are treating 18 patients in the institution’s intensive care unit, while so far 325 confirmed coronavirus patients have been treated at the Szent László Hospital Unit, including 52 requiring intensive care.
In answer to the question as to whether blood plasma therapy which is proving to be successful is also available in hospitals in the countryside, the Director General said this therapy is being carried out as part of clinical trials, on an experimental basis. Hospitals which wish to take part in these clinical trials are required to enter into a consortium agreement with the South Pest Central Hospital and will then receive plasma preparations.
The Director General also highlighted that initially his colleagues had worked under enormous pressure, and there were days when as many as 350 patients a day visited the hospital’s outpatient unit. He added that throughout they had made every effort to prevent infection among health care staff and, he said, very few staff members fell ill; at the same time, some of them provably did not contract the infection in the hospital.
Mr Vályi-Nagy said thank you to his colleagues, the technical staff helping health care workers, the hospital’s foundation and those who have supported the hospital in any other manner. He highlighted that people can help the most by observing the mandatory rules as, he said, the epidemic has not gone away, only its intensity has abated.
Spokesperson for the National Police Constabulary Kristóf Gál said regarding the latest national epidemic data that the number of confirmed patients currently stands at 3,741. On Saturday, 4 elderly patients died; as a result, the number of fatalities has risen to 486. At the same time, 1,690 persons have recovered from the disease, and the number of active cases has fallen to 1,565. At present, 442 patients are being treated in hospital, including 28 requiring assisted ventilation.
(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)
