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Coronavirus Update: Chief Medical Officer says people should observe the rules and behave responsibly

At a press conference held on Wednesday in Budapest after the meeting of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus infection, Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller appealed to people to observe the rules and behave responsibly. “Only together can we conquer the epidemic,” she said.

Müller repeatedly pointed out that the elderly are most at risk of catching the virus and also asked young people not to organize parties or go to crowded spots. She reminded everyone as well to wash their hands frequently and noted that those returning from abroad should go into voluntary home quarantine.

There are presently coronavirus cases in almost every part of Hungary. So far, 1,803 samples have been tested, and the authorities are aware of 58 infected people.

Müller stressed that the priority now is to minimize the spread of the virus and flatten its curve; all measures are being taken with this goal in mind. But aside from the efforts being made by healthcare workers and authorities, the public must also actively cooperate, she emphasized.

Answering one question, the Chief Medical Officer said, “There is a situation when it is no longer reasonable to conduct contact searches because of the large number of incidences.”

Diagnosed patients in hospitals are not in a serious state, Müller indicated, adding that if someone’s symptoms are not serious, home quarantine will be sufficient in the future. Currently, hospitals report every day on the number of operational ventilators, the number of available ventilators and the number of reserve machines in the country.

Colonel Tibor Lakatos, Head of the Operational Group, said there is no need to worry about mass infection among healthcare workers, but they are ready to provide appropriate care for them if needed.

A call center set up for advice on the coronavirus can be reached on +36-80-277-455 and +36-80-277-456 or by email koronavirus@bm.gov.hu

Photo credit: Portfolio