Hungary has nationwide visiting ban in hospitals over new virus concerns

Hungary’s chief medical officer has ordered visiting restrictions to be put in place at all of the country’s hospitals and nursing homes as a precaution to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the National Public Health Centre (NNK) said late on Sunday.

The nationwide ban will remain in place until further notice, the centre said in a statement.

NNK quoted chief medical officer Cecília Müller as saying in her justification that information about the new virus so far indicates that

the Covid-19 disease primarily affects the elderly or those with illnesses.

The virus can spread quickly in closed communities and potentially cause a high number of fatalities, NNK, said, adding that the ban was introduced “in the interest of protecting the lives and health of those in vulnerable groups and preventing their infection”.