COVID-19 in Hungary: 2,194 new cases, 56 fatalities
Hungarian authorities confirmed 2,194 new cases, increasing the total since March to 68,127. The virus claimed the lives of 56, mostly elderly or chronic, patients, bringing the death toll to 1,634, while 17,469 people have recovered. The number of active cases is 49,024. There are now 3,197 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 255 of them on ventilators, according to the government website.
Today’s fatality figure is the second highest since the beginning of the pandemic, and the graph clearly shows a rising trend in the seven-day moving average.
Aside from the daily figures, this morning’s update also includes other news: the National Ambulance Service (OMSZ) will deploy another 200 sampling units nationwide in cooperation with the Interior Ministry. The units will be staffed by senior medical students, while the vehicles will be provided by the ministry. Those taking the samples will be trained by the OMSZ.
This means the number of tests applied will likely increase further. Authorities tested more than 15,000 people on Wednesday, with a positivity rate of 14.4%.
The highest number of new cases is still registered in Budapest (535 in the past 24 hours), followed by Pest county (326). It appears that the virus is now spreading faster in East Hungary as case numbers in excess of 100 were reported from Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties.
Cover photo: Getty Images