After the announcement made by Gergely Gulyas yesterday, people flocked to the stores to purchase groceries, flour, and other articles in Budapest. The announcement was about closing universities, and also about not allowing anyone to visit Hungary from Italy, China, South Korea, or from Iran.
His announcement worked as a catalyst, and a few hours later, people started to report about the most important goods to be impossible to find on the shelves of many stores.
But, are people starting to store up for the coming weeks? We paid a visit to a local Aldi store in Budapest this morning at seven o’clock. That is just after opening, and we expected the shelves to be packed with ingredients and ready for a new day. What is the truth?
Here you can see what met us.
Some milk for long storage could be found…
Those arriving first to the shop will get their hands on this meat!
This is where the flour should have been…
Some hermetics are still to be found, but tomato sauces, spaghetti, and similar objects are almost gone completely!
If you want to buy chocolate, orange juice, or maybe some cucumbers, you wouldn’t have trouble doing so. But, if you went to the store looking for flour, tomato sauce, spaghetti, pasta, rice, and all sorts of meat, you will soon find it harder to shop with success. And let us not forget, this was early in the morning when the shelves were supposed to be full.
We had a similar incident with empty shelves a few weeks ago, but then things turned quieter, and all products slowly returned to the shelves. Let us hope the same will happen once again. But, if there will come more critical announcements, or if we will start to see people infected in larger numbers, this might get worse!
Is it safe to visit Hungary? Should you worry about your upcoming travel to Budapest? The latest updates about the coronavirus in Hungary!
Many people are worried because of the coronavirus. But, is it safe to visit Hungary in the middle of this? What do the Hungarian people think about the coronavirus? Here you can read the latest news and information about the virus and its status in Hungary.
The article is updated frequently, so just return for the most recent updates. It is also recommended to check our blog for updated articles related to visiting Budapest in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
What’s up with the coronavirus in Hungary?
Hungary opens to all EU citizens – June 18.
From tomorrow, everyone with a EU passport (living in an EU country), and those from Serbia, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland can enter Hungary.
We do not update this article frequently anymore, so we suggest paying attention to the “blog” instead where we publish new posts. If you want information, we also recommend that you visit www.budapestguide.org where you can find rules and regulations for entering Hungary depending on your country of origin.
Currently people from Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Germany can come to Hungary and Budapest without entering a quarantine. This is great news for those who want to visit Hungary during the summer of 2020.
Budapest is opening – June 3.
Many of the companies doing boat trips on the Danube are open again. Most restaurants in Budapest are open again. In other words, you can have a good time and visit Budapest and enjoy the famous goulash soup and more if you come to Budapest right now.
But, pay attention to the rules, because you will still be required to enter a 14-day quarantine if you arrive from many countries.
When will the tourists come to Budapest again? – May 29.
Restaurants are now allowed to open, not only with customers outside, but also inside the building. The waiters’ are required to wear a mask. Hungary has also made a deal with Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic, making travels between the nations easier, without the requirement to spend time in quarantine as you visit the other countries. Of course, the rules are not 100% easy to understand, meaning that you should still be careful and ask for further help before you plan your trip.
Once again, Budapest is opening and so is Hungary. But, there are still some more things that needs to be done before Hungary will totally open up for tourists.
Budapest is opening again – May 18.
It has been a while since our last update. Not much has happened. Budapest has been in lockdown, but as of today, restaurants (outdoor areas), stores, malls, and similar areas can open again. There is still a need to keep a 1,5m distance, and a mask is required. Outside Budapest, things have been like this for a week already, and hopefully, Budapest will return back to “normal” before the summer season and tourists once again can arrive to Budapest.
It is expected to come a second wave of the virus in September, but airlines will start their flights between Budapest and other destinations again.
Things are not changing much – April 24.
There are soon 2500 people infected with the virus in Hungary. The government is believing that the virus will peak around May 3rd. Rumors say that school might open again later in May, but nothing has been said for sure yet.
The numbers are growing – April 15.
We don’t update this article so frequently anymore, as not much is happening. The numbers have been growing lately. We saw 200 new cases in one day last week, but in general, the numbers are between 50 and 100 each day. The total number of infected people in Hungary is now 1579.
Many popular locations in Hungary are closed for tourists. As a result, you are not allowed to visit Szentendre, other popular sites along the Danube, and many other locations.
Only 11 new cases in the last 24 hours – April 6.
The number of people with coronavirus in Hungary grew to 733 on Sunday. But, by Monday morning, the number has “only” grown to 744. That means 11 new cases has been diagnosed in the the 24 hours. Some people believe the low numbers are due to few tests, or are the Hungarian restrictions actually working? Do not forget, the streets and tourist attractions are almost empty. More pictures will be posted later today.
April 3 update
The number of people infected is now 625. That is a growth of 40 people since yesterday (when the number was 585). If you want to watch some pictures from empty tourist attractions in Budapest due to the coronavirus, check this article.
Restaurants are mostly closed in Budapest, and only people from Hungary or people with a work-permit in Hungary are allowed to enter the country.
April is here! – April 1.
Spring has come to Budapest and the colors are beautiful. Unfortunately, there are no tourists in Budapest able to take joy in what they see. But, since Hungarians are still allowed to go for a healthy walk, some Hungarians even visit the Gellert hill to enjoy the beautiful view and the colors.
There are now 525 people with the virus in Hungary, a growth of 33 people since yesterday.
A map of Hungary – March 31.
The total number of people infected by the coronavirus in Hungary is now 492. They are spread throughout the entire country. Here you can see a map showing the status as of March 31.
A map of Hungary with the 19 counties.
The Coronavirus in Hungary – March 30.
As of Monday, March 30, the number of people with coronavirus in Hungary is 447. That is an increase of 39 since Sunday. Hospitals are preparing for a massive invasion of patients. In other words, it is expected for the numbers to grow more rapidly in the coming days and weeks.
The new number is 300 – March 27.
The official number of people in Hungary with the coronavirus is 300. According to the leadership of the country, they believe that the virus will peak in June. In other words, things will not turn back to normal in the near future.
There are now 261 people diagnosed with the covid-19 virus in Hungary. The virus can be found in all the municipalities in Hungary (19 in total).
Ten dead because of the virus so far – March 25.
As of March 25, a total of 10 people have died because of the coronavirus in Hungary. The number of people diagnosed with the virus is 226. Tourism is dead, meaning there are no tourist activities available in Budapest, even though many stores are open until 15.00.
Updated statistics – March 24.
20 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since yesterday. The total number of deaths is 8.
The numbers are growing – March 23.
There are now 167 people diagnosed with the coronavirus in Hungary. That is an increase of 36 people since yesterday, the biggest increase in one day so far. 16 people are “healed” from the virus, while 7 people have died because of the virus.
The Coronavirus in Hungary on March 23.
As of today, it will be easier to be tested for the coronavirus, as more doctors should be able to actually take the blood sample and send it to the laboratory. If that happens, the numbers will most likely grow more rapidly in the coming days.
30% increase in one day – March 22.
The total number of people infected by the virus in Hungary is now 131 (the official number). That is approximately a 30% increase compared to yesterday’s number that was 102.
A total of six people have died because of the virus in Hungary.
It is still less than 100 infected – March 20.
The number of people infected by the coronavirus is now 85. In other words, it is a very low number compared to many other countries in Europe. The government expects the number to grow rapidly, but we still haven’t seen rapid growth.
Hotels are closing daily, restaurants are closing daily, and tourist programs are mostly unavailable.
March 19.
09:00 – The number of people infected in Hungary is now 73. Lots of people are working from home and thus choosing isolation to protect themselves and family members. Are you in isolation as well? Here you can see 11 movies and tv series worth watching on Netflix.
06:15 – Yesterday’s announcement was not about what most people expected, that we are not allowed to walk the streets with no purpose at all. Instead, it was about finances and that people will get much better conditions on their loans until the end of the year.
Stores in Budapest are out of flour, sugar, toilet paper, and similar products. You might be lucky and find something now and then, but in general, it is hard to find!
What’s happening today? – March 18.
15:30 – The announcement came but without sound. So, only those able to read lips know what the announcement was all about. We will have to wait some more before we know what Viktor Orban said.
14:00 – The number of people diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus is now 58. Not much has happened since yesterday, but at 15:00, the Hungarian Prime Minister will make an important announcement. It is expected that he will tell people that they are no longer allowed to walk around outside, except for when they need medicines, groceries, or when they go to work. We will update the article once the announcement has been made.
No more tourists – March 17.
08:30 – The number of people infected by the Covid-19 virus in Hungary is now 50.
06:45 – The Hungarian borders are now closed for tourists. Only people from Hungary are allowed to enter the country.
Most restaurants in Budapest will be closed from today. Sir Lancelot, Karpatia, Aszu, and other restaurants that have tried to keep open, will no longer be able to do so after the regulation that says that all restaurants have to close at 15.00. The fact that no more tourists are allowed to enter the country didn’t help much either.
People with some sort of medical experience and education are also invited to volunteer and help out in the treatment of people with the virus.
06:10 – The first person died because of the coronavirus in Hungary yesterday. According to the official statistics, there are now 32 people diagnosed with the virus in Hungary.
Today is the first day when all schools will be closed. Pupils will study at home. The Hungarian TV channel M5 will be used to show material useful for the students studying from home.
Once again, many restaurants in Budapest will remain closed from today, the Gellert Spa, the Rudas Spa, the Szechenyi spa, and other thermal baths will also be closed from today.
The Hungarian national day – March 15.
March 15 is one of three Hungarian national days. But, there will be no celebrations, and there will be no festivities today. Yesterday, 11 new people were diagnosed with the virus (the biggest number in one day so far).
The virus has already had a negative impact on restaurants in Budapest. Yesterday we received reports that some restaurants will close for several months, as they cannot afford to have people working when no guests visit. Many restaurants are still open and available, but you will meet more and more restaurants with closed doors if you try to visit restaurants all around Budapest in the coming weeks.
Important information for tourists!
The thermal baths in Hungary will close from March 15, and the zoo in Budapest will also be closed for visitors. Some of the boat trips on the Danube are still available.
The biggest increase so far – March 14.
21:00 – Five new people are diagnosed with the coronavirus. The total number is now 30.
10:00 – There are now a total of 25 people who have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus in Hungary. The six people are all Hungarians, and no other information has been given about them.
Tourist programs are still available and restaurants remain open in Budapest.
What’s happening in Hungary? – March 13.
21:30 – All schools and kindergartens in Hungary will be closed from March 16. This is to protect the kids, and even more, to protect the parents and the grandparents. The children will study from home instead of attending classes at school. You can read more about this announcement in the following article.
10:30 – The number of infected has increased to 19. Three new Hungarian men are diagnosed with the virus. They are all treated in the Laszlo hospital.
6:30 – According to the last official update (given yesterday evening at 22.30), the number of people infected in Hungary still remains 16. However, some people worry as the lady who was diagnosed with the virus yesterday got the virus without meeting anyone else who is supposed to have the virus.
If you come to Budapest, you can still go on different boat trips on the Danube. They are limiting the number of passengers on the boats, making sure that they follow all the guidelines of the government. You can read more about the boat trips on the Danube in Budapest right here.
Hungary is stepping up against the coronavirus – March 12.
Three new people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Hungary today. One person comes from Iran and got the virus from the other Iranians with the virus. The second person is a Hungarian lady who has been isolated in a Budapest hospital for several days, and today the blood test results came back with positive results. The third is a Hungarian man who recently returned from a trip to Israel.
Based on the decision to close universities and several other restrictions, the grocery stores were run down yesterday. Once again we could see empty shelves and empty freezers, as people quickly bought all the groceries they need for a longer amount of time.
The border controls are once again active on the borders between Hungary and Slovenia and between Hungary and Austria. This is to stop people arriving from Italy who might carry the virus. It is only allowed for Hungarians in Italy to return home, but if they do, they will be forced into a 2-week quarantine immediately (either at home or in the hospital depending on their state).
Since indoor gatherings of more than 100 people aren’t allowed, most theaters, cinemas, and similar activities will be closed. Most boat trips on the Danube run with smaller boats, meaning they are still running. Restaurants are also running as usual.
Everyone coming to Hungary from Italy will be forced into a 2-week quarantine, either at home or in a hospital (depending on whether they are ill or not upon arrival to the country). All gatherings of 100 people or more indoor are forbidden, and outdoor events with more than 500 people present are also forbidden.
The number of infected people is 13 in total. Considering that the largest parts of the infected are university students with an international background, all universities have to proceed with teaching online, instead of meeting in the actual buildings. Schools and kindergartens remain open since there are no signs of the virus spreading in such environments (yet).
The number of coronavirus tests made in Hungary jumped yesterday, as the rules for who can be tested has been changed. The employees of a hospital are currently in quarantine while waiting for their test results, as they all met without the 70-year-old Coronavirus infected Hungarian before he was diagnosed with the virus. An update will most likely come around 10.00 today with updated numbers and more information.
The Coronavirus in Budapest – March 10.
Based on information released at 10.00 today, there are a total of 12 people infected with the virus in Hungary. The three new are all from Iran, making the number of Coronavirus infected people in Hungary to 8 people from Iran, 1 from Great Britain, and 3 from Hungary.
The Coronavirus statistics for Hungary on March 10.
The number of infected people was raised to 9 yesterday. There are still no signs of the fact that the virus is spreading rapidly among people, so all schools are running, kindergartens are open, the universities are holding lectures, and restaurants, boats on the Danube, and tourist attractions are available as always. But, there are fewer tourists coming, meaning that those working with tourism is suffering because of the lack of tourists coming. But, that is something not only businesses in Budapest and Hungary notice, but everyone working with tourism worldwide.
The Coronavirus in Budapest – March 9.
It is still very quiet in Hungary. According to the last official update made on March 8th at 11.45, there are 7 people infected with the virus in Hungary, and the number of blood samples made is below 400. But, it can be felt on tourism that people travel less, and thus, you will have no trouble finding a free table in your favorite restaurant anymore. But, all activities are available, all stores are open, and all Hungarians live life the way they are used to.
All flight connections between Northern Italy and Hungary have been stopped.
The Coronavirus in Hungary – March 6.
There are now four people reported in Hungary with the Coronavirus. One is the girlfriend of one of the Irani students, while the other is a man in Debrecen who commutes between Debrecen and Milano because of his job.
A tourist group of 15 people from Japan who were coughing was also taken to control yesterday. We don’t know anything else about their symptoms, nor about the results of the tests yet.
Even though all tourist attractions are open and all activities are available as they normally would be, many restaurants and hotels report about canceled trips and canceled table reservations.
The status of the Coronavirus in Hungary at the moment.
Coronavirus report on March 5.
It is very hard to find hand sanitizers in stores in Budapest. The two Iranian students who are infected by the virus got the virus during a trip to Iran. One is studying in the city of Györ, while the other studies pharmacology in Budapest. Due to the virus, the Budapest student should have stayed home from the university the first two weeks after his arrival to Budapest (that was university regulations because of the virus), but he didn’t keep the regulations. As a result, he was attending lectures for an entire week at the university before he stopped.
The university was supposed to have a big event this weekend, but they have decided to cancel it. The class of the Iranian student in Budapest has been quarantined (16 pupils in total), and will not attend any classes in the next 2 weeks.
Extra Coronavirus report on March 4th
Today at 18.30, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reported about the first two people in the country who have been infected by the Coronavirus. They are students from Iran, and they are currently in the Szent Laszlo hospital. No information has been given about how they got infected with the virus yet, so we don’t know if they were infected in Budapest, or if they were infected in Iran (or somewhere else). One of them has a girlfriend who has also been taken into isolation, and the other has a wife who has been taken into isolation. Several tests were made on them to confirm that they were actually infected by the virus.
We will be given daily reports at 12.00 from the committee responsible for handling the Coronavirus in Hungary.
Two travelers who were caught with the virus in the Czech Republic, are reported to have visited several tourist attractions in Budapest before they went to Brno, and then to Prague. They visited the Szechenyi Thermal bath, some ruin pubs and more. The Szechenyi thermal bath has raised the level of chlorine in the water due to the virus.
The number of people infected by the Coronavirus in Hungary. It also shows how many people are in quarantine, and how many blood tests have been made. (on March 4, at 19.10)
Coronavirus report on March 4.
There are still no people infected by the virus in Hungary. Some people are worried about the Ministry of Internal affairs simply not reporting incidents. But, there are no stories from people actually telling that they have been infected (nor telling about people they know who have been infected), so hopefully, Hungary is still one of the few countries in Europe with no people infected by the virus yet.
Coronavirus report on March 3.
British Airways, RyanAir, WizzAir, and other flight companies have canceled flights between many travel destinations worldwide. However, Hungary still hasn’t got any cases of the coronavirus, meaning that most flights to and from Hungary are operating as normal. There are not that many articles about the coronavirus anymore in the Hungarian newspapers, and people seem to have forgotten a bit about it.
In other words, life is normal and tourists come to the city and enjoy themselves! Of course, things can change quickly (like they did in Northern Italy), but currently, there are no cases of the virus in Hungary.
Coronavirus report on March 2.
Hungary still remains one of the few countries in Europe without anyone infected by the coronavirus. There might be people who are infected, but there are still no confirmed occasions of the coronavirus in the country yet.
As a result, tourists are still coming to Hungary in a large number. All the tourist attractions are open, the river cruises run as normal, guided tours are available, and you can easily enjoy wine tasting programs and beer programs if you decide to visit Budapest and Hungary at the moment.
Coronavirus report on February 29.
Things are still the same in Hungary. The flu season is here, but there is still nobody officially infected by the Coronavirus. Tourists are still coming daily and all tourist activities are available like they normally are.
Coronavirus report on February 27.
Not much has happened since yesterday. But, the stores are mostly out of flour, rice, spaghetti, and similar products. WizzAir has also announced that they will cancel all flights between Italy and other countries in the period between March 10th and April 4th.
Coronavirus report on February 26.
Everyone is speaking about the virus and everyone is preparing for the virus. You can read about the virus in all the online newspapers and even though there aren’t any reported incidents of the coronavirus in Hungary still, most people believe it is just a matter of time.
A school-class who visited Italy is in quarantine in the Szent Laszlo hospital, but none is still reported to actually be infected with the virus.
However, many people prepare for an outbreak, and as a result, you can see in several stores that rice, flour, spaghetti, and similar products are missing. There are no signs of panic yet, but people are preparing for what might turn into harder days and weeks.
Due to a long time of incubation of the virus, there might be people carrying the virus in Hungary, but they haven’t been treated yet or gotten any symptoms yet.
The Hungarian flight company WizzAir reported that they carried a passenger with the virus on a flight between Craiova in Romania and Bologna in Italy. The flight has been taken out of use since this happened.
