Coronavirus – Chief medical officer: Effects of easing restrictions to be monitored

The novel coronavirus epidemic is still ongoing in Hungary, and the effects of the government’s forthcoming steps to ease restrictions will be carefully monitored, the chief medical officer said on Thursday.

Protection efforts in Hungary have reached a stage where the health-care system is prepared to treat a potentially growing number of patients, Cecília Müller said at the press conference of the operative board responsible for coordinating the epidemic response.

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The assessment of larger retirement homes and of those hit by the epidemic has been concluded, Müller said.

The outcomes of assessments of smaller care homes are expected at the end of next week, she said.

In line with international tendencies, Hungarian health-care staff make up 13 percent of those infected, she said, adding staff are tested every seventh day.

Róbert Kiss, a member of the operative board, told the same press conference that the authorities have ordered 1,186 home quarantines in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to above 10,000. The police have launched 304 criminal procedures in epidemic-related cases, and have so far questioned 56 suspects. Action taken in connection with breaches of home quarantine orders total 1,333 cases since March 12, Kiss said.

Source: MTI