More Hungarian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the number of people infected in Hungary to 226.

A British patient has died.

Anyone can become infected with the novel coronavirus, and can infect others, the pathogen is present everywhere in the country, the Chief Medical Officer pointed out at the Tuesday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus infection.

Stressing the importance of staying at home, the Chief Medical Officer warned that the virus might be present in the systems of more persons than those who displayed symptoms.

She also said the system of general practitioner care will be transformed – they will introduce a certain degree of streamlining – in order to minimise physician-patient and patient-patient interactions.

In answer to the question as to whether deceased persons are tested for the presence of the coronavirus, Ms. Müller answered in the negative. She indicated that the Minister of Human Capacities had suspended autopsies given that if the cause of death was known there was no need for an autopsy.

She said it happens, even if only rarely, that it cannot be ascertained whether the deceased was infected with the coronavirus or not; however, if the suspicion arises, the deceased can be tested for a short while after death in order to track down and notify contact persons.

In the context of the rate of the spread of the epidemic, the expert also highlighted that Hungary was in an advantageous situation because a number of measures which served to slow down the epidemic had been taken in good time. She did not wish to engage in guessing how long the epidemic could last, but she indicated that model calculations were being carried out.

Ms. Müller also said pregnancy does not represent a separate risk factor in the present epidemic. At the same time, she drew attention to the fact that pregnancy in itself changes the functioning of the immune system, and as a result, pregnant women may become more susceptible to infections, including the coronavirus infection. She asked them, too, to stay away from public places, to observe the rules of personal hygiene and to wash their hands thoroughly.

In the case of young children, it is advisable to disinfect toys with any chlorine-based disinfectant repeatedly, and to air one’s home regularly.

The expert said every hospital is prepared for receiving patients, they are increasing their available capacities, and as a result the number of intensive care beds will triple.

MTI Photo: Péter Komka

Source: koronavirus.gov.hu