Important! There is officially flu epidemic in Hungary!

A Chinese pilot who is being treated in a Budapest hospital shows no sign of being infected with coronavirus, the Ministry of Human Resources (Emmi) in a statement on Wednesday.

The pilot was transported from Liszt Ferenc International Airport to a city hospital on Tuesday evening with a fever and was put in isolation and under observation. He is no longer feverish and has no symptoms of the illness, the statement added.

The ministry dismissed press reports that the patient had been unconscious at the airport as “rumour”.

It said the case of the pilot was evidence that Hungary’s epidemic system was in working order.

A sample taken from the pilot was tested in a national health authority lab earlier today, and the results are expected to be released sometime in the afternoon.

• No reports of Hungarians affected by coronavirus

The National Centre for Public Health (NNK) is continually monitoring the situation in relation to coronavirus, taking into consideration international reports and recommendations, the ministry said, adding further action will be taken as required.

Meanwhile, the NKK said on Wednesday that

the number of patients seeking treatment for flu-like symptoms in Hungary in the fourth week of January has crossed the threshold for an epidemic.

Between January 20 and 26, 17,464 people turned to their GP complaining of flu-like symptoms, 41.2 percent more than the previous week.

Government official: Coronavirus not present in Hungary

Coronavirus is not present in Hungary, but the authorities are implementing preventive measures, a government health official said on Wednesday.

“We are taking the illness seriously,” Ildikó Horváth, the state secretary for health, told a news conference.

But no one in Hungary is suffering from coronavirus as yet, she added.

Cecilia Müller, the chief medical officer, said

travellers are being given advice and written information.

Also, hand sanitizers have been provided at the main international airport. Further, airport staff are ready to identify any symptoms of the disease, she added.

Source: MTI