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. 2020 Aug;42(4):1063-1074.
doi: 10.1007/s11357-020-00226-9. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

Novel coronavirus epidemic in the Hungarian population, a cross-sectional nationwide survey to support the exit policy in Hungary

Béla Merkely  1 , Attila J Szabó  2 , Annamária Kosztin  3 , Ervin Berényi  4 , Andor Sebestyén  5 , Csaba Lengyel  6 , Gergő Merkely  7   8 , Júlia Karády  3   9 , István Várkonyi  10 , Csaba Papp  4 , Attila Miseta  11 , József Betlehem  12 , Katalin Burián  13 , Ildikó Csóka  14 , Barna Vásárhelyi  15 , Endre Ludwig  16   17 , Gyula Prinz  16 , János Sinkó  16   17 , Balázs Hankó  18 , Péter Varga  7 , Gábor Áron Fülöp  3 , Kornélia Mag  19 , Zoltán Vokó  20 ; HUNgarian COronaVirus-19 Epidemiological Research (H-UNCOVER) investigators
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Novel coronavirus epidemic in the Hungarian population, a cross-sectional nationwide survey to support the exit policy in Hungary

Béla Merkely et al. Geroscience. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

After months of restrictive containment efforts to fight the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic, European countries are planning to reopen. To support the process, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among the Hungarian population to estimate the prevalence of infectious cases and prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure. A representative sample (n = 17,787) for the Hungarian population of 14 years or older living in private households (n = 8,283,810) was selected. The study was performed within 16 days after 50 days of restrictions, when the number of confirmed cases was stable low. Naso- and oropharyngeal smears and blood samples were collected for PCR and antibody testing. The testing was accompanied by a questionnaire about symptoms, comorbidities, and contacts. Design-based prevalence estimates were calculated. In total, 10,474 individuals (67.7% taken into account a sample frame error of 2315) of the selected sample participated in the survey. Of the tested individuals, 3 had positive PCR and 69 had positive serological test. Population estimate of the number of SARS-CoV-2 infection and seropositivity were 2421 and 56,439, respectively, thus active infection rate (2.9/10,000) and the prevalence of prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure (68/10,000) was low. Self-reported loss of smell or taste and body aches were significantly more frequent among those with SARS-CoV-2. In this representative, cross-sectional survey of the Hungarian population with a high participation rate, the overall active infection rate was low in sync with the prevalence of prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure. We demonstrated a potential success of containment efforts, supporting an exit strategy. NCT04370067, 30.04.2020.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cross-sectional; Hungary; Nationwide; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: as reported in the funding section, the current research was funded by the 2020-2.1.1-ED-2020-00017 grant of National Research Development and Innovation Office; otherwise, no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work were reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Formulation of the study population. *The sum of the number of positive and negative tests do not add up to the number of the study population (10,474) neither for PCR nor for serology as some persons consented to provide only one type of samples
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Population estimates of the distribution of smoking (a), body mass index (b), symptoms (c), and comorbidities (d) by infection
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Estimated number and PCR positivity and seropositivity by statistical region
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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