Coronavirus in Hungary: Record number of deaths, near-peak new infections!
Fully 135 Covid patients, generally elderly and suffering from an underlying illness, have died over the past 24 hours, while 6,393 more virus cases have been officially registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Friday.
The total number of cases since the first outbreak in the country has risen to 198,440, while the death toll now stands at 4,364. Fully 52,126 people have made a recovery.
Active infections number 141,950, while there are 7,591 hospitalised patients, 647 on ventilators.
Fully 49,549 people are in official home quarantine, while the number of tests carried out has risen to 1,601,203.
So far, most coronavirus cases have been registered in Budapest (44,276) and Pest County (25,964), followed by the counties of Gyor-Moson-Sopron (13,065), Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen (11,677) and Hajdu-Bihar (10,405). Tolna (2,818) has the fewest cases.
Temporary control of Schengen border extended in Hungary!
The government has extended the temporary border control introduced on the full length of Hungary’s internal Schengen border until midnight on Jan. 31, the deputy head of the operative body coordinating Hungary’s response to the coronavirus epidemic said on Thursday. Read more HERE!
Restrictions in Hungary
Between 9am and 11am on weekdays and 8am and 10am on weekends, customers below that age are banned from shopping in grocery shops, household chemists and pharmacies. Senior citizens have the right to shop at any time.
On November 10, 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 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, more details HERE.
Soldiers are helping the police in carrying out their duties in public areas. Soldiers have also been assigned to help out staff in 93 hospitals around Hungary.
The 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. Family and private events including birthday celebrations can be held with a maximum of ten people attending.
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. 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.
Source: MTI/www.koronavirus.gov.hu
It does appear, statistically, and comparing scientific medical data, especially figures against EU countries, we are rapidly approaching a position of new case escalation of numbers and deaths, that would suggest, we prepare ourselves as a country to go into total lock down.
We are limited in other strategies when the weight of numbers are continuing to rise.
If we don’t implement total lock down, within the coming (5) five days, the ramifications that are being witnessed through this deadly novel
coronavirus will impact into Hungary, leaving consequences, in its aftermath, that will resemble a catastrophic humanitarian and economic tragedy.
It cuts deep – pains and saddens me – to write of this approaching factorial situation, but we must be prepared, that the likelihood of this total lock down, statistically, far out weights leaving restrictions curfews as they are, which if total lockdown is implemented will require adjustments and change again to our present lifestyle.
Total lockdown may – hopefully that I prove to be wrong, be our next lateral thinking alternative, in our fight and challenge we ALL face through the presence, of this novel virus.