The coronavirus returns to Hungary in the middle of the energy crisis?

In mid-September, at the Government Info, Minister Gergely Gulyás said that Hungary was over the pandemic. However, the figures do not reflect this. There are four times as many infected as a year ago. If the trend continues, Hungary could face a serious problem because of the energy crisis.

More and more infected

According to the latest statistics, 13,762 new cases were registered in Hungary in one week. This is an increase of 21 percent. There are currently 1,752 people in the hospital, a significant increase of 50 percent. Last week, 73 people died from the coronavirus. This is also an increase of one and a half times. Such an increase is typically seen at the beginning of each wave, portfolio.hu reports.

The daily infection rate is four times higher than last year. All this with paramedics not testing since May 2022. That means much worse detection efficiency. Experts say the Hungarian population has acquired immunity, but the Omicron variant could be a problem. In addition, public caution has declined and restrictive measures have been reduced.

Many people think that the coronavirus is no longer a serious health threat. But the number of people in hospital is three times higher than last year and two and a half times higher than two years ago. So it cannot be said that the infection is any less severe. On the other hand, the lower death rate does give some hope.

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The virus can also cause brain damage

A severe coronavirus infection can cause immune reactions that damage nerve cells in the brain. This causes memory problems and confusion, potentially increasing the risk of long-term health problems.

24.hu reports that currently one of the most common symptoms of Covid-19 is a sore throat. “Currently, Covid starts with a sore throat in two-thirds of people. Fever and loss of sense of smell are very rare nowadays, so many elderly people may not understand they got infected. They may think they have a cold and, therefore, do not get tested,” said an expert.

This will pose a problem in the autumn flu season as it will be harder to distinguish the virus from a common cold. On top of that, high energy prices mean that many places are cutting heating costs. Public buildings are also colder than usual. This can make the virus spread more rapidly.

Read alsoThe worst in the EU: Hungary’s food prices outstrip those of the region

Source: portfolio.hu, 24.hu