The number of persons in compulsory home quarantine who have opted for voluntary electronic monitoring has risen to three hundred and seventy-eight, a staff member of the duty centre of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic said at an online press conference held on Monday.

In answer to a question, Lt. Colonel Róbert Kiss said the vast majority of citizens are complying with the rules of compulsory home quarantine, and the law-abiding attitude of members of the public has contributed to the successful containment of the epidemic. He highlighted that since 12 March the police had checked persons in compulsory home quarantine 408,473 times, detecting just 1,684 breaches, meaning that only 0.41 per cent violated the rules.

He reported that on Sunday 683 compulsory home quarantine orders had been issued, totalling 10,955 restrictive orders in effect at present. On Sunday, the police were required to take action in 34 instances due to the violation of the rules of compulsory home quarantine.

The Lt. Colonel also said during the weekend the police were required to take action in 235 instances regarding compliance with the protective measures introduced in the countryside; since 4 May they have taken action in 534 instances in total. From among those who violated the regulations on Sunday, 152 persons were cautioned, 48 persons were given onsite fines and 35 persons were prosecuted.

During the weekend the police were required to take action in 1,297 instances in connection with persons violating the rules related to restrictions on movement in Budapest and Pest County, including 866 cautions, 245 onsite fines and 185 prosecutions. The police have checked compliance with the restrictions on movement since 28 March, and have taken action in 48,951 instances in total.

He further mentioned that the number of criminal procedures instituted in connection with the epidemic had risen to 346, including 85 due to scaremongering, 27 due to the threat of public endangerment, 108 due to fraud and 21 due to the violation of disease control regulations. The police have questioned 63 persons in connection with these cases.

In answer to a question, the Lt. Colonel confirmed that Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony’s request for data had not arrived at the duty centre of the Operational Group by Monday morning.

The Mayor of Budapest asked the Operational Group to supply epidemic data in relation to the capital.

He drew attention to the fact that the rules of entry into the territory of Croatia had changed. Non-Croatian nationals can only enter the territory of the country if they can verify that they have a property or a boat in Croatia, or if they want to attend a funeral. Non-Croatian nationals will also be granted entry if they verify that they wish to enter the country for work or to attend a business meeting at the invitation of a Croatian business. Travel to Croatia for all other business purposes must be reported to the Croatian authorities, he added.

Regarding border traffic, he said in cargo traffic on the entry side there is a two-hour delay at Tompa, a three-hour delay at Röszke, and a one-hour delay at Csanádpalota, Ártánd and Csengersima. At the same time, in cargo traffic on the exit side there is a one-hour delay at Csanádpalota.

In answer to the question from the press as to whether if an infected person living in the countryside is taken to hospital in Budapest and he or she dies there, such a person will be featured in the official mortality reports as a Budapest fatality, the Lt. Colonel said the deceased person’s address is stated in the mortality records.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)