The inspection of elderly care homes has started throughout the country, while the investigation at Pesti út is still under way, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Wednesday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus infection.

Cecília Müller said the disease control inspections ordered to be conducted in 1,035 elderly care homes throughout the country in the interest of the protection of the elderly will be ongoing, and the first findings of the inspections will be in this week. They are first inspecting larger institutions providing care for several hundred residents where the chances of transmitting the infection are higher.

She highlighted that the inspections will have to determine whether the institutions carried out the measures imposed by the authorities, whether medical care was available, whether the relevant training has been provided for personnel, whether the necessary human resources and physical conditions are available, and whether the relevant protocol is being observed. She added that they are also assessing the availability of individual protective supplies and the entire care process. She pointed out that if any deficiency or irregularity is uncovered, they will take action. At the same time, she asked institutions to cooperate in order to uncover together any problems they might have.

They will pay particular attention to places where “there are problems”; in those institutions, disease control experts are on the ground, and so the Pesti út elderly care home, too, is at the centre of attention, Ms. Müller stressed. She indicated that the coronavirus had appeared in several care homes both in the provinces and in the capital.

She further reported that the preparation of hospitals for the next stage of the epidemic has been ongoing throughout the country for weeks, in several phases. The bed capacities of hospitals must be increased because we must prepare for the phase of mass incidences, she said.

She added that flattening the epidemic curve continues to remain the goal, but we must prepare for mass incidences, for the event of which the necessary number of beds, health care personnel and ventilators must be available. She highlighted that these measures serve to ensure that anyone who needs medical attention should receive it, and to avoid situations observed in some countries of Europe where patients are lying in hospital corridors because there are not enough beds, personnel and machines.

Ms. Müller asked hospitals and those whose relatives are now being sent home for their understanding. She added that home social care and the home nursing system could provide help in this situation.

She said by 19 April 50 per cent of the target of 60 percent of beds to be vacated must be available. Hospitals situated in the same county can decide between themselves how to divide the necessary number of beds based on local specificities.

The Chief Medical Officer highlighted that not all patients will be released from hospital; the attending physician or a team of physicians must make a decision on this based on the relevant medical protocol. Releasing anyone from hospital must be a purely medical decision, she stressed, adding that no one can be sent home if there is a risk of damage to their health.

In answer to a question, Ms. Müller said once the epidemic peaks, they expect the number of incidences to decrease at the same rate at which it rose. She also said there are recovered patients from all age groups, and patients have been taken off assisted ventilation as well. She said in answer to a question concerning the ratio between number of patients and number of fatalities that Hungary is not above the EU average, it is in the lower third as regards the number of deaths.

She also said at present they are only taking those to hospital who are displaying such severe symptoms that they cannot stay at home. By her account, there is no restriction on the personal belongings patients can take with them to hospital, but patients are advised to take in cutlery, personal belongings and IT devices. She said they are also treating patients who are unwell but do not need assisted ventilation; there is an established protocol for such patients.

In answer to a question, she confirmed that they are training physicians regarding  the treatment of patients in need of intensive care as part of distance education.

She suggested to residents and operators of residential buildings that they clean common areas more thoroughly and more frequently, mentioning the disinfection of surfaces touched many times during the day such as bannisters, lifts, lift buttons, door handles and mail boxes, and the cleaning of floors with chlorinated water.

Regarding the use of ordinary home and thread gloves, she said they only provide protection against exposure to contamination, while rubber gloves used in health care, too, only provide protection as long as they remain undamaged. She pointed out that no gloves can substitute for the frequent and thorough washing of hands with soap.

In answer to a question, Ms. Müller said the provisions of the law are clear: emergency operations, urgent interventions or interventions, the absence of which could affect the patient’s state of health must be performed. If a given hospital nonetheless refuses to perform such interventions, the patient can contact the head of the institution, the patient rights representative or the National Centre for Public Health as a last resort.

In answer to the question as to whether diabetes patients whose blood sugar levels are properly maintained with medication and dietary measures are also at risk, she said those who observe dietary restrictions and have no complications yet are not likely to belong to the high-risk group.

The Chief Medical Officer denied news reports claiming that blood donation had stopped and a shortage of blood could be expected. At the same time, she thanked blood donors for not forgetting to give blood even in this difficult situation.

In the past 24 hours, the number of infected persons has risen to 1,579, the number of the deceased has increased to 134, while 192 recovered patients have been released from hospital. So far, more than 37,000 laboratory tests have been carried out.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)