Coronavirus cases, deaths rising in Hungary again – February 10, 2021

Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

Fully 98 Covid patients, generally elderly and suffering from an underlying illness, died over the past 24 hours, while 1,279 new infections were officially registered, bringing the total number of infected to 380,013, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.

The death toll has risen to 13,347, while 285,022 people have made a recovery.

The number of active infections has declined to 81,644, while there are 3,747 hospitalised Covid patients, 296 on a ventilator.

Altogether 19,414 people are in official home quarantine, and the number of tests carried out has risen to 3,298,814.

Hungary began rolling out the coronavirus vaccine in December. So far, 292,627 people have received their first jab, and 113,570 have been fully inoculated.

Hungary receives 500,000th dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Hungary has received the 500,000th dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty coronavirus vaccine, Pfizer’s Hungarian subsidiary said on Tuesday.

The first shipment of the vaccine arrived in Hungary on December 26 last year and further shipments followed every week since, the statement said. More than 85,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in the eighth shipment on Tuesday, totalling 500,000 delivered so far, it added.

Under a current agreement, Hungary is set to receive 6.6 million doses of the Comirnaty vaccine by the end of 2021, Pfizer said.

In line with Hungarian health authorities’ reports, 280,000 people have received Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine in their first shot and more than 100,000 have also received their second jab of the vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech plan to significantly increase the volume of vaccine supplies to the European Union from the second quarter of this year, the statement added.

Infection numbers in Hungary

Most infections have been registered in Budapest (70,500) and Pest County (47,384) so far, followed by the counties of Hajdú-Bihar (21,447), Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén (21,271) and Győr-Moson-Sopron (21,098). The county least affected by the infection is Tolna (8,373).

MUST READ: When can the restrictions be lifted in Hungary?

Restrictions to stay in place until March 1

The government will keep coronavirus-related restrictions in place until March 1, and secondary schools will continue digital education, read more HERE.

A decree made commercial P+Rs, parking garages and parking lots in residential areas free of charge from 7:00 in the evening until 7:00 in the morning. Soldiers are helping the police in carrying out their duties in public areas. Soldiers have also been assigned to help out staff in 93 hospitals around Hungary.

The curfew is in force between 8pm and 5am, and work carried out beyond the home must be justified.

With the exception of pharmacies and petrol stations, shops can be open until 7pm. Hairdressers, masseurs and personal trainers must observe general curfew rules. Family and private events including birthday celebrations can be held with a maximum of ten people attending, children do not count in the headcount. A major new rule is that face masks must be worn in public spaces in localities with more than 10,000 residents, though it is up to local mayors to decide which spaces the rule applies to.

Restaurants are limited to offering takeaways, while hotels are not allowed to cater to tourists, only guests arriving for business, economic or educational purposes. Sports events must be held behind closed doors. Also, leisure facilities such as fitness gyms, indoor swimming pools, museums, libraries, cinemas, zoos and skating rinks must suspend their services. Events, including cultural events, cannot be held under the special rules.