Coronavirus in Hungary – Over 10,000 PCR tests yield three positives, says Semmelweis University

Of the 10,575 coronavirus PCR tests conducted by Budapest’s Semmelweis University (SE) in May in a representative nationwide campaign, three came back positive, the university’s rector said.

Polymerise chain reaction (PCR) tests detect the presence of an antigen rather than antibodies.

Béla Merkely told a press conference on Wednesday that at the time of the survey in mid-May,

the ratio of active infections among the population was estimated at 0.029 percent, or 2,421 infections.

Merkely noted that 70 of those examined were seropositive, indicating that the some 0.68 percent of Hungarians, or 56,439 people, were probably Covid-19 positive prior to the testing.

• Latest: One death, two new infections in Hungary

Kornélia Mag, deputy head of the Central Statistical Office (KSH), said that researchers invited 17,787 Hungarians to be tested. All were above the age of 14 and living in private households in 489 localities.

The test comprised a questionnaire and the actual PCR test, she said. Fully 10,474 people, or 67.7 percent, completed both, she said.

The testing was led by SE, with the cooperation of four Hungarian medical universities and the KSH, with the support of the innovation and technology ministry.

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Source: MTI