The coronavirus pandemic took toll on nearly 21,000 people in Hungary so far

Fully 258 patients, generally elderly with co-morbidities, died over the past 24 hours, while 9,288 new infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.

So far 2,065,948 people have received a first jab, while 787,207 have been fully vaccinated.

The number of active infections has risen to 230,161, while hospitals are caring for 12,062 Covid patients, 1,512 of whom need respiratory assistance.

There are 55,915 people in official quarantine, while 4,649,596 tests have been officially carried out.

Since the first outbreak, 661,721 infections have been registered, while fatalities have risen to 20,995. Fully 410,565 people have made a recovery.

• PM Orbán: Vaccination only way to stop virus, gradual reopening around the corner

So far, most infections have been registered in Budapest and Pest County, followed by the counties of Győr-Moson-Sopron, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Hajdú-Bihar.

Coronavirus-related restrictions remain in effect until April 8

Hungary has no room to loosen lockdown measures yet due to a rise in coronavirus infections.

• Details: Hungary extends restrictions until April 8

Shops, with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, petrol stations, drugstores, tobacco shops, shops selling tools for “spring gardening”, pet food and fodder shops, and markets, will have to be closed, and services will have to stop, with the exception of private healthcare, social care, financial, postal, and car repair services, suspended between March 8 and Easter.

Kindergartens and primary schools will be closed from March 8 until April 19.

Gyms will continue to be closed for two weeks, but licenced athletes will be allowed to train and compete behind closed doors. Parks will be allowed to stay open and outdoor sports will also be allowed for activities in which people can maintain a safe distance of 1.5 metres. The government asks employers to ensure that their employees can work from home wherever possible, particularly in the case of those with children.

Mask-wearing remains mandatory outdoors. Hungary would impose tighter controls on its borders, adding, however, that freight and transit traffic will not be restricted. Wage subsidies and tax cuts introduced for the hospitality industry will be expanded for the period of the lockdown to all sectors forced to shut down by the new measures.

Source: MTI