Visits to Social Care Homes Prohibited in Hungary

Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller has ordered a nationwide ban on visits to social care homes as well as an order to keep residents from leaving the facilities, with a view to containing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the Ministry of Human Capacities, the only exception to the ban on visits applies to terminally sick residents in the final stage of their illness. Exceptions to the rule on keeping residents of social care homes within the facility apply to people who must leave for treatment, as well as psychiatric patients and people with disabilities who may go on outings in groups.

Also, overnight shelters for homeless people are not required to stop guests from leaving the facility, the ministry said. Incoming residents of social care homes may only be admitted in possession of two negative coronavirus tests.

According to the latest figures, the number of confirmed people infected with the coronavirus in the country now stands at 9,715. There are 23,461 in compulsory home quarantine with 3,984 recovered. The number of pandemic-related deaths is 628.

The total number of active COVID-19 cases is 5,103. The authorities find it important to state that 44% of those infected, 59% of the deceased, and 42% of those recovered live in Budapest. There are currently 221 patients hospitalized with the coronavirus, 13 of whom are on ventilators.