Hungary registers 4,238 new coronavirus cases as total tops 140,000

Photo: www.facebook.com/Uzsoki Utcai Kórház

Fully 107 Covid patients, mostly elderly and suffering from an underlying illness, have died in the past 24 hours and coronavirus infections have risen by 4,238 to 140,961, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Saturday.

Altogether 3,097 Covid patients have died since the appearance of coronavirus in Hungary, while 31,599 have made a recovery. There are currently 106,265 active infections and 7,013 patients are in hospital, 569 on ventilators.

Fully 36,411 people are in official home quarantine, while the number of tests stands at 1,354,742.

On Tuesday, lawmakers extended the government’s special powers by 90 days, allowing the government to suspend the application of some legislation, diverge from legal provisions and take other extraordinary measures by decree.

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.

Among other measures recently introduced: school classes from the eighth grade as well as universities are now holding lessons and lectures online.

Also, a 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.

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 and Christmas fairs, cannot be held under the special rules.

The government has asked religious communities to make sure their conduct during ceremonies aligns with general coronavirus safety rules.

The authorities have ordered the total suspension of classroom teaching in 208 kindergartens and 37 schools, while 22 schools have returned to digital education.

Most infections have been registered in Budapest (34,384), followed by Pest County (18,635), and the counties of Gyor-Moson-Sopron (10,538), Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen (7,357), Hajdu-Bihar (6,486) and Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg (6,443). Tolna County has the fewest infections (1,976).