Hungary's daily COVID cases could reach 30,000 -minister

Hungary's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases could reach 30,000 in the next one to two weeks, up from about 20,000 this week, a government minister said on Saturday.

Hungary's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases could reach 30,000 in the next one to two weeks, up from about 20,000 this week, a government minister said on Saturday. Miklos Kasler, minister for human resources, blamed the Omicron variant for the rise. In a Facebook video, he said the variant was causing less severe illness, but the third of Hungarians not vaccinated were at higher risk.

Just over 6 million of Hungary's 10 million people have received at least two shots, and nearly 3.6 million have also received a booster, but the country's vaccination rate lags western European levels. Hungary is now offering shots to anyone, without prior registration, as well as booster shots to children aged 12-17.

The government announced on Jan 13 that a fourth COVID-19 shot is available to people who ask for it, after a consultation with a doctor. Hungary has made booster shots mandatory for healthcare workers, and vaccinations mandatory for all teachers. Protective masks have been required in most indoor places since late November.