Four medical universities to test 17,000 people

Rector of Semmelweis University Béla Merkely announced at an online news conference that four Hungarian medical schools are set to begin nationwide testing for COVID-19. They are planning to test a representative sample of 17,000 people in two weeks to get a clear picture of the Hungarian epidemiological situation, writes Kovacs Zoltan for Index.

The four universities planned to launch their testing operation on 1 May, which will be spearheaded by Semmelweis University with support from the Ministry of Innovation and Technology.

The nationwide screening will use PCR tests which are the most reliable known method of diagnosing the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Using the results, a nationwide epidemiological study will be conducted. A statement by Semmelweis University says that the main task during the second phase of the coronavirus response is to determine the conditions and timetable of safely returning the country back to normal, but these plans have to be based on reliable analysis and constant monitoring.
Full report on the Index site