The number of active coronavirus patients has been on the decrease for two days, the Chief Medical Officer stated at the Wednesday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller recalled that since the beginning of the epidemic, 3,111 persons had been infected with the coronavirus. At present, however, there are only 1,979 registered patients, 759 persons have recovered, while the number of the deceased stands at 373. Some one half of infected persons, 964 individuals are being treated in hospital, and 50 of them require assisted ventilation, she said.

She drew attention to the fact that outpatient care services can only be used with a prior appointment, meaning that no one should see specialists without booking an appointment.

In this regard, Ms. Müller highlighted that consultation and prescriptions can also be arranged by telephone. If the examination of the patient is absolutely necessary, his or her state of health and coronavirus status are assessed on a preliminary basis. If the suspicion of coronavirus infection does not arise, the patient is given the treatment they need, and there is no need for a laboratory test before the examination.

If the suspicion of coronavirus infection emerges in the case of a patient to be treated, they must be taken to another room. In this case, the specialist records the patient’s ‘suspected’ status in the electronic service space, and the general practitioner will request a laboratory test for the patient, she said.

She highlighted that in the case of high-risk, non-essential interventions to be carried out in hospital, the patient must have a negative laboratory test before the intervention. The test will be ordered by the service provider that will carry out the intervention. The sample necessary for the test will be taken by the health care provider, and will be sent to one of the designated laboratories.

She indicated that throughout the country ten laboratories had been designated for the analysis and evaluation of the samples taken. She added that at this time the available laboratory capacity is sufficient.

In answer to a question, the Chief Medical Officer said in connection with elderly care homes that the inspection of these homes is ongoing, the evaluation of the reports is under way, and all the homes with large numbers of residents have already been inspected.

She said coronavirus infection had been registered in 31 elderly care homes. At the Kamaraerdei út elderly care home in Budapest, 40 residents and 9 workers have become infected; two of them have died. Since the beginning of the epidemic, at the Pesti út institution 296 coronavirus cases have been detected. At the same time, she observed that this did not coincide with the number of persons actually treated for the disease. 154 persons from this institution are in hospital at present, 26 nurses are infected, and forty persons have died. Another 41 persons have recovered and been allowed to return to the care home.

(MTI)