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Operational Group: Government to “analyze and evaluate” restrictive measures, decision expected on Thursday

At today’s Operational Group press conference, Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller discussed the probability of a second wave of coronavirus and said that although opinions on the subject vary, the virus is likely to “stay among us.” Meanwhile, the government is preparing new decisions to be announced on Thursday.

 

“Two elderly patients with underlying chronic conditions passed away in the last 24 hours, raising the number of deceased to 534,” Cecília Müller, Hungary’s chief medical officer, said at today’s Operational Group press conference. Meanwhile, 2,190 have recovered from the disease, including a 102-year-old Hungarian citizen, she added. With 10 new cases of COVID-19 in Hungary, the total number of infected grew to 3,931, out of which 1,207 cases are currently active.

The world shouldn’t believe that the virus is already behind us, Müller continued. “The question as to whether a second wave of the virus is avoidable is keeping many minds occupied,” the CMO said, adding that although opinions on the subject vary, the coronavirus is likely to “stay among us,” albeit at a lower profile.

Currently, there are around 6.4 million cases of coronavirus globally, and almost 380,000 have succumbed to the disease, the chief medical officer said. “The Hungarian numbers are very promising; we are certainly at the end of the first wave of the virus,” Müller concluded.

Talking about future steps in relation to the epidemic, Lieutenant Colonel of the Police Róbert Kiss said that the government is currently “analyzing and evaluating” restrictive measures and an announcement of new decisions can be expected on Thursday. Right now, according to Kiss, there are 11,172 cases of compulsory home quarantine in effect, and police have launched legal proceedings for scaremongering and the spread of fake news in 120 cases so far.

“One hour of waiting time should be expected on the exit side at the Hegyeshalom [Hungary-Austria] border station,” the lieutenant colonel also reported, adding that since May 28, Hungarian nationals have been able to freely cross the border to Croatia as well.

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