Coronavirus – Curfew restrictions observed in Budapest more than in other areas – UPDATE

The curfew restrictions introduced to fight novel coronavirus have been observed with more discipline in Budapest than in other parts of the country over the weekend, an official said on Monday.

Police took action in the case of 3,945 violations, with 1,738 of them recorded in the past 24 hours,

Róbert Kiss, a spokesman of the operational board that coordinates Hungary’s response to the novel coronavirus epidemic, told an online press conference. A total of 816 warnings were issued, 521 fines were imposed and 401 reports filed, he said.

Compared to weekdays, generally more people disobey the restrictions over weekends but this past weekend there was no need for any police action in Budapest, he said.

In the past 24 hours, home quarantine was ordered for entrants at the border in 750 cases, continuing a decreasing trend, Kiss said.

Commenting on border traffic, he said short delays have been reported in incoming freight traffic at the Csanadpalota crossing with Romania.

As regards epidemic related supplies, Kiss noted that two freight aircraft had arrived in Budapest on Sunday, delivering 22 tonnes of protective gear from Shanghai and Seoul.

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Hungary receives 22.5 million masks, 220 ventilators

Hungary took delivery last week of 20.6 million surgical masks and 1.85 million face masks, which will provide a higher degree of protection against the novel virus, the foreign minister told lawmakers at the start of the parliamentary plenary on Monday.

The shipments were transported in 21 planes and three lorries, Péter Szijjártó said.

He noted that

since the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic, a total of 72,954,890 have been received, around half of the supplies ordered under contract.

A delivery of another 75,852,550 masks is expected soon, he said.

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As regards other shipments, Szijjártó noted the delivery of 220 ventilators in addition to the 318 received earlier. Hungary also received 50,000 virus tests last week, bringing the total number of imported tests to 402,000, he said, adding that an additional 2.95 million are scheduled to be delivered under contract. He further noted the delivery of more than 10.6 million items of protective clothing last week in addition to the 32.5 million items imported earlier. Hungary has contracts to receive a further 27 million items, he said.

Szijjártó noted the intensive efforts under way in many countries to develop a vaccine and drugs that are effective in treating coronavirus patients.

Hungary recently received 400,000 doses of Favipiravir under an agreement with the Chinese government which could be used to treat about 4,000 patients, depending on the dosage, he said, adding that China had allowed the drug to be sold to four countries only.

Drug developments are ongoing in Japan, Szijjarto noted, adding that Hungary has agreed to receive 12,500 doses of the drug Avigan, sufficient to treat 100 patients, he said.

Source: mti