During today’s Operational Group press conference, Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller announced that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases now stands at 1,834.
”More and more people are being hospitalized, and Budapest is highly infected,” Müller said. “The number of confirmed infections is gradually increasing; however we cannot yet talk about an explosion within the country, we must be prepared for all kinds of scenarios.”
The Chief Medical Officer also confirmed that 16 patients have passed away in the last 24 hours and announced that the number of those still struggling with the disease has increased. “The total number of those now hospitalized stands at 829, and the number of people with serious conditions has increased by more than 100 in one day,” she said.
Müller also said that Budapest and Pest county have a high level of infection, with more than 60 percent of the confirmed cases found there. “That is the reason why local governments have the possibility to set up stricter movement restrictions within their territories,” she said.
Meanwhile, Róbert Kiss, lieutenant colonel of the Hungarian police force, said a government decree came into force at midnight, which entitles local governments to stricter movement restrictions, and they are in force until Sunday at midnight. “The police help enforce them by checking compliance with the rules of home quarantine and shop closings,” he said.
Brigadier General Romolusz Ruszin said defense units were deployed to 11 new companies this week, bringing the number of business entities under defense control groups to 104.
Ruszin also reported that the disinfection of the Metropolitan Municipality Elderly Home was completed yesterday, and the military is also taking part in securing the borders, supporting the maintenance of the humanitarian corridor, assisting in maintaining security, and in guarding warehouses.