Coronavirus – Chief medical officer urges public to stay home, avoid close contact

Hungary’s chief medical officer on Friday reminded the public to avoid close contact and stay home in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the operative board coordinating the epidemic response, Cecília Müller urged those over the age of 65 to stay home, noting that this age group is the most vulnerable to the virus, especially if they have underlying illnesses.

At the same time, she warned that young people with immune system disorders or chronic medical conditions were also at risk.

Müller urged young people to avoid partying and those returning from abroad to self-isolate, adding that those who have the opportunity should work from home.

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For that matter, Hungarian authorities have so far launched proceedings in 47 cases concerning violations of restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the head of the emergency centre set up by the operative board coordinating the epidemic response said.

Of those cases, 12 involved threats of public endangerment, 8 were related to fraud and 7 were violations of the emergency measures introduced to combat the epidemic, Tibor Lakatos told a press conference. The authorities have interviewed 22 suspects so far, he added.

He said there had also been a significant number of home quarantine violations.

So far, the authorities have placed 3,506 people in home quarantine and have registered 69 violations, Lakatos said. Several businesses have also violated the restrictions imposed on the trade sector.

Source: MTI