On Wednesday and Thursday, protective supplies were delivered to more than seventy hospitals and other organisations involved in the containment effort, 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 Thursday.

Lt. Colonel Róbert Kiss said they have delivered and are in the process of delivering surgical face masks, face masks, protective gowns, protective gloves and visors.

He also said institution commanders – who supervise compliance with disease control regulations and the management of supplies in institutions – have taken up office in elderly care homes with more than two hundred residents.

He announced that the government decree – developed on the basis of the preliminary initiative of the Chamber of Agriculture – which regulates in detail “the rules relating to the authorisation of the entry of individuals who intend to enter Hungary from neighbouring states in the interest of satisfying the work force needs of the agricultural sector” has taken effect.

He said these agricultural workers can be the nationals of neighbouring countries or Hungarian nationals with no permanent residency in Hungary. He also said groups arriving in Hungary may enter the country at Záhony from the direction of Ukraine, and at Nagylak from the direction of Romania.

He further highlighted that a condition of the authorisation of entry is that such workers notify the Záhony or Nagylak border policing unit 48 hours before the planned time of entry. The notification must include the name of the agricultural worker, the number of his or her personal identification document, the address of the planned place of work and accommodation, and the planned duration of work. A copy of the notification must also be available upon entry into the country.

A further condition of the authorisation of entry is a health examination as only those agricultural workers will be allowed to enter the country who are not suspected of having coronavirus infection. Three days before entry, workers are also required to notify the disease control authority.

Mr Kiss said agricultural workers are required to retire to workplace quarantine for 14 days, during which period the employer is required to organise transport between the accommodation and place of work and to provide meals, and should the suspicion of coronavirus infection arise, the employer is required to notify the Hungarian disease control authority within an hour.

The employer is required to notify both the competent border policing unit and the disease control authority of the exit of agricultural workers 48 hours in advance. The detailed rules can be found on the website of the police at www.police.hu.

According to Mr Kiss’s information, on Wednesday 870 compulsory home quarantine orders were issued; at present, 10,956 such orders are in effect. On Wednesday, the police took action in 22 instances due to the violation of the rules of compulsory home quarantine. Since 12 March, the police have taken action in 1,545 instances on such grounds.

On Wednesday, the police took action against persons violating the rules related to the restrictions on movement in 457 instances, including 227 cautions, 115 onsite fines and 65 prosecutions. The police have checked compliance with the restrictions on movement since 28 March, having taken action in 46,686 instances in total.

In answer to a question, he said the restrictions on movement do not affect the visitation rights of divorced or separated parents; the police accept the “verbal communication” of this reason as an essential reason.

Mr Kiss also said the police are checking compliance with the new rules related to the containment measures introduced in the countryside. On Wednesday, they were compelled to take action in 59 cases, including 37 cautions, 9 onsite fines and 13 prosecutions.

He further pointed out that the number of criminal procedures instituted in connection with the epidemic had risen to 331, including 83 due to scaremongering, 27 due to the threat of public endangerment, 104 due to fraud and 20 due to the violation of disease control regulations. The number of suspects stands at 62.

Regarding border traffic, he said in cargo traffic on the entry side there is a two-hour delay at Rajka, a three-hour delay at Tompa, and a one-hour delay at Ártánd and Csengersima, while in cargo traffic on the exit side there is a one-hour delay at Csanádpalota and Ártánd. In incoming passenger traffic, there is a one-hour delay at Röszke and a two-hour delay at Nagylak.

(MTI)