The inspection of elderly care homes is ongoing, with the focus on health care services and the skills of workers, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Wednesday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller added that the defence forces are also continuing the disinfecting of elderly care homes. They carry out disinfecting in consultation with the institution heads, taking care not to unduly disturb the operation of homes.

Thanks to an offer made by the Operational Group, on Wednesday social institutions will receive another consignment of 1.3 million face masks and 365,000 pairs of gloves, she stated.

The Chief Medical Officer highlighted that the Pesti út elderly care home had been disinfected, and multiple rounds of tests had been carried. They are aware of 284 infected persons and 28 fatalities in the institution.

Health care institutions throughout the country are increasing their bed capacities reserved for the reception of coronavirus patients; so far, they have vacated 50 per cent of beds. In actual fact, few patients had to be sent home, and the decisions to release patients from hospital had to be based purely on medical criteria. No one can be sent home if there is a danger of subsequent health impairment, Ms. Müller stressed.

Regarding national data, the expert said the number of registered patients has risen to 2,168, while in the past 24 hours the number of fatalities has increased by 12 to 225 in total. 295 persons have recovered from the disease. Laboratories have carried out 52,702 tests based on the genetic material of the virus.

Ms. Müller asked persons suffering from chronic diseases who are especially at risk at the time of the present coronavirus epidemic to pay even more attention to their underlying conditions, to take their medications in a disciplined manner, and to observe dietary instructions.

During an epidemic, people with allergies, too, must pay more attention to their state of health. She suggested that they air their homes at night, clean their homes more frequently than usual, clean anything they can with a moist cloth, change their pillow cases every day, and wash their hair daily.

She also said it is important that occupational physicians should perform their professional responsibilities and carry out occupational aptitude tests so that people who are fit and ready to work should be able to start working. There is scope for some deferral only in the case of periodic occupational health aptitude tests, she added.

In answer to a question, she pointed out that consuming fruit and vegetables after thorough washing does not pose a threat.

In answer to another question, she stated that at present they are not testing the general infection rate among the population. It will make sense to carry out tests on a representative sample – based on the presence of antibodies – after the epidemic.

She said in answer to a further question that there is a general closure in elderly care homes; however, parcels can be sent to residents via the home personnel, subject to compliance with the relevant rules. She mentioned as a good example that in one home the elderly receive their parcels after a waiting period of two days.

She also pointed out that in Hungary they had not yet detected patients infected with the virus more than once, but they were aware of such patients in other countries. This is possible because people produce different immune responses to the coronavirus, and those who do not develop robust immunity can become infected again, she said.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)