Economy 8 March 2021, 10:44am

COVID-19 in Hungary: less than 3,000 new cases, 115 dead on Sunday

Portfolio

The number of new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases was relatively low in Hungary yesterday, with the official government website reporting 2,696 new cases in the past 24 hours. The total number of confirmed infections since last March is 468,713. The death toll rose to 15,988 after the disease claimed the lives of 115, mostly elderly or chronic, patients yesterday. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus patients in hospital rose by 479 and is now close to 8,000.

While the number of tests yesterday was about 24,000, barely lower than in previous days, the number of new cases confirmed was considerably lower, a day before the usual weekly dip on Tuesday when the weekend effect makes itself felt. So, while it appears to be good news that there were “only” 2,696 new cases following the 7,269 reported on Saturday and 6,201 on Sunday, the trend continues to rise and the tighter lockdown in effect as of Monday will take at least 6 to 8 days to affect statistics.

In terms of epidemic dynamics, such a decrease in new cases from one day to the other is inconceivable, so there has probably been some kind of statistical error.

Today’s data even lowered the seven-day trend line, even though the tighter measures in effect as of Monday will not lead to fewer new cases for another 6 to 8 days.

All other data clearly indicate that the virus is spreading faster in Hungary, again suggesting that the number of new cases is an outlier.

Even as the number of new cases was relatively low, there were 115 fatalities yesterday. While high, the daily figure is below the seven-day average.

The frightening part of today’s data is the increase of 479 in the number of severe cases. There are now nearly 8,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, very close to the record high seen last year. The number of people receiving artificial ventilation rose by 28 to 806, a new record high.

As mentioned above, nearly 24,000 tests were applied yesterday, so the positivity rate fell sharply to about 11%.

Meanwhile, it is interesting that the number of people in mandatory home quarantine fell by nearly 7,000 to 37,343 even as the outbreak is picking up pace again.

The number of people vaccinated in Hungary is now above 1 million, the official government website said. On Sunday, 21,313 people received a vaccine, occasionally amidst chaotic scenes due to a communications glitch.