Coronavirus in Hungary – 93 fatalities, 1,569 more infections

Fully 93 Covid patients, generally elderly and suffering from an underlying illness, died over the past 24 hours, while 1,569 new infections were officially registered, bringing the total number of infected to 363,450, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.

The death toll has risen to 12,291, while 249,003 people have made a recovery.

The number of active infections stands at 102,156, while there are 3.669 hospitalised Covid patients, 255 on a ventilator.

Altogether 19,131 people are in official home quarantine, and the number of tests carried out has risen to 3,097,809.

Hungary began rolling out the coronavirus vaccine in December. So far, 161,215 people have received their first jab, and 26,293 have been fully inoculated.

Most infections have been registered in Budapest (67,557) and Pest County (45,168) so far, followed by the counties of Hajdú-Bihar (20,567), Győr-Moson-Sopron (20,366) and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén (20,278). The county least affected by the infection is Tolna (7,863).

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Restrictions to stay in place until February 1

The government will keep coronavirus-related restrictions in place until February 1, and secondary schools will continue digital education, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said.

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 the staff in 93 hospitals around Hungary.

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

With the exception of pharmacies and petrol stations, shops can be open until 7 pm. 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 places 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 but only guests arriving for business, economic, or educational purposes.

Sports events must be held behind closed doors. Also, leisure facilities such as 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.

Source: MTI