Orbán cabinet: Hungary was 10th out of the EU’s 27 member states in terms of the number of infections – UPDATE

Fighting the coronavirus epidemic requires “quickness and an ability to respond”, which justifies the government’s reintroduction of a special legal order, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office told a press conference following a government meeting on Wednesday.

Gergely Gulyás said that the situation was deteriorating globally and especially in Europe, and “Hungary is no exception”. He added, however, that Hungary was 10th out of the European Union’s 27 member states in terms of the number of infections, while Hungary’s mortality rate was “about half of the EU average”. Still, he said, more and more people need hospitalisation in Hungary, their number probably exceeding 5,000 on Wednesday.

Gulyás said the government would propose that parliament should extend the special legal order, introduced now for 15 days, by another 90 days.

He appealed to the opposition to support the motion, saying that “if they do not contribute to prevention efforts they should not keep thwarting them”.

Strict observance of rules crucial to slowing epidemic

The restrictions concerning the coronavirus “must be observed and enforced” to slow down the epidemic, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said, adding that the authorities would be “much stricter and more consistent” in enforcing curfew regulations and a ban on public events.

Gergely Gulyás spoke after a government session on Wednesday, and said that

shops, restaurant and club owners had “a great responsibility”, warning that facilities could be closed if proprietors were unable to enforce the rules on their premises.

Gulyás also said that the operative board in charge of coronavirus-related measures would meet at 6am daily or every other day in future, with the prime minister attending. The cabinet will meet once a week, he added.

Asked what the prime minister had meant on Tuesday when he said Hungary’s hospitals could be pushed to the limits of their capacity by December, Gulyás said 32,000 of the country’s 66,000-67,000 hospital beds could be occupied by coronavirus patients by the middle of next month. Hospitals could make more beds available by suspending non-urgent procedures, he said. Certain hospitals have already postponed them and the government could order all hospitals to do the same, he added.

Hungary has enough hospital beds, staff, nurses and doctors at its disposal, he said, adding that there were also plans to enlist junior and senior medical students as assistants.

Asked about the capacities of the health-care system, Gulyás said that even according to the most pessimistic estimates, the number of patients who would need to be put on ventilators was not expected to exceed 10,000.

Asked about the new restrictions, Gulyás said the government was prepared to introduce more if necessary.

He said the decision to close entertainment venues was modeled after practices seen elsewhere in Europe.

Asked about coronavirus testing procedures, he said Hungary was carrying out tests in accordance with the protocols recommended by the World Health Organisation while keeping an eye on a variety of testing practices, including the countrywide testing operation in Slovakia.

Asked if schools would have to be closed, Gulyás said the government believed the latest round of restrictions would be enough to slow the epidemic and schools could stay open.

No further restrictions are required in the public education system, he said, noting that the country must continue to function.