BUDAPEST, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hungary registered 2,032 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a new daily record number since the outbreak of the epidemic in the country, according to the government's coronavirus information website.
Figures from the website showed that the total number of confirmed cases since the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary stood at 52,212, with 15,254 recoveries and 1,305 fatalities. Currently, 2,132 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospital, 197 of whom are on ventilators.
The website called on Hungarians to strictly observe social distancing guidelines and hygiene regulations. The elderly are asked to pay particular attention to protecting themselves while observing general regulations, and visits are prohibited at nursing homes and hospitals.
Hungarians are obliged to wear face masks in cinemas, theaters, health and social institutions and public offices as well as in shops and on public transport. Clubs and restaurants have to close by 11 p.m. to curb the spread of the virus, the website noted.
Hungary's coronavirus cases have risen sharply since late August. The country's total COVID-19 cases topped 10,000 on Sept. 10, 20,000 on Sept. 23, 30,000 on Oct. 4, 40,000 on Oct. 14 and 50,000 on Oct. 21.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pledged that Hungary will procure a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which will be made available to all citizens who want it.
Orban explained that his administration was conducting talks with the United States, Japan, China and Russia on vaccine procurement. Hungary had also contributed to research programs funded by the European Union.
As the world is in struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe are racing to find a vaccine. According to the website of the World Health Organization, as of Oct. 19, there were 198 COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed worldwide, and 44 of them were in clinical trials. Enditem
