The number of infected persons is rising at an even rate, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Tuesday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller said a significant number of infected persons are from social institutions as well as from hospitals where infected persons are being treated. Therefore, we must pay special attention to closed communities, she pointed out.

She said the capital and Pest County continue to account for the highest number of patients, while in the rest of the counties the number of infected persons typically starts rising when the virus strikes closed communities and the disease starts spreading.

The Chief Medical Officer highlighted that at present there are 2,649 infected persons, while the number of the deceased has risen to 291. 976 persons are receiving treatment in hospital; 49 of them require assisted ventilation. She added that 516 persons had already recovered from the disease.

Ms. Müller sent 80 letters to persons who have probably undergone the disease displaying more severe symptoms, and who are therefore likely to have sufficient antibodies present in their systems to participate in the blood plasma programme.

According to her information, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported work on a new rapid test which is based on detecting the presence of the genetic material of the virus.

She said the test which is still in an experimental phase is important because most of the rapid tests used so far detect the presence of antibodies produced against the virus. However, in many cases, the production of antibodies only begins two weeks after infection. The new test will facilitate the modelling of the epidemic and the testing of the population for infection.

She mentioned that exposure research would also begin in Hungary whose purpose it was to determine the actual rate of infection among the population. Having this information is essential before a possible second wave of the epidemic.

In answer to a question, Ms. Müller said medical face masks are disposable. Therefore, she does not recommend the wearing of such masks outdoors; home-made masks and textile masks are more appropriate for ordinary outdoor use which can be worn again after they have been washed and disinfected.

In answer to another question, she highlighted that they had introduced a number of bans for the protection of social institutions already in the early stages of the epidemic, including a visiting ban, a ban on the admission of new residents and a ban on movement. These measures served to prevent the introduction of the virus into and from institutions. At present, however, “we are already inside institutions,” meaning that we must now prevent the spread of the virus inside institutions with highly professional, ongoing and regular activities. “We must carry out comprehensive infection control activities on an ongoing basis,” she said, adding that social institutions have received a protocol regarding what they are required to do.

Ms. Müller also highlighted in answer to a question that pregnant women infected with the coronavirus do not typically infect the foetus; they are only aware of one such case worldwide. After birth, infants must be protected, and even during breastfeeding mothers are recommended to wear protective face masks as the virus spreads to the child not through mother’s milk, but via droplet infection.

There is no legal obstacle to the presence of fathers during birth, subject to the observance of strict rules. However, it is always for the hospital to decide whether the necessary conditions are available, and whether they are able to provide fathers with appropriate protective supplies that guarantee the safety of the environment, she said.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)