Govt orders state of emergency in Hungary

The government has ordered a state of emergency in connection with protective measures against the new coronavirus, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, said on Wednesday. Gulyas said the government had made its decision in line with a proposal by the interior minister and the operative board. The government has ordered a ban on travellers from Italy, China, South Korea and Iran, except for Hungarian citizens arriving from those locations who will have to stay in isolation at home for two weeks after arrival, Gulyas added. In order to enforce the travel restrictions, border controls will be reintroduced on Hungary's Schengen borders with Slovenia and Austria. All trains, buses and flights from the countries in question will also be stopped by midnight on Wednesday, he added. The government has also decided to ban indoor events with more than 100 people attending, while outdoor events with more than 500 will also be subject to the ban, Gulyas said. It will be the organisers' responsibility to cancel events, he added.