Illegal migrants pose health risk, says Fidesz lawmaker

Budapest (MTI) – As a number of illegal migrants entering Hungary pose public health risk by carrying pathogens of infectious diseases, the idea of introducing mandatory screening and inoculation for them has been raised, a lawmaker of ruling Fidesz said on Sunday.

Most of these people arrive from war-torn countries that lack basic sanitary conditions, Imre Pesti, a doctor, told MTI.

Furthermore they travel a long way before reaching Hungary and the circumstances of their journey further deteriorate their general state of health, he said.

A recent health check has detected that around 2 percent of migrants arriving in Hungary carry infectious diseases, including hepatitis A and C, syphilis, mumps, polio and whooping cough, he said.

Although the Hungarian authorities try to refer the migrants to undergo health checks and even the necessary vaccination is available, most of them leave Hungary before getting appropriate medical treatment, Pesti said.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters