BUDAPEST, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Hungary registered 1,791 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the record daily number since the outbreak of the epidemic in the country, according to the government's coronavirus information website.

Figures from the website showed that the total number of confirmed cases in Hungary stood at 44,816 on Saturday, with 13,580 recoveries and 1,109 fatalities. Currently, 1,693 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospital, 185 of whom are on ventilators.

The website warned Hungarians to observe social distancing guidelines and hygiene regulations. The elderly are asked to pay particular attention to protecting themselves while observing general regulations.

Wearing a mask is mandatory in cinemas, theatres, health and social institutions and public offices as well as in shops and on public transport. Clubs have to close by 11 p.m. to curb the spread of the virus, the website noted.

Hungary's total COVID-19 cases topped 10,000 on Sept. 10, 20,000 on Sept. 23, 30,000 on Oct. 4 and 40,000 on Oct. 14.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pledged that Hungary will procure a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which will be made available to all citizens who want it.

Orban explained that his administration was conducting talks with the United States, Japan, China and Russia on vaccine procurement. Hungary had also contributed to research programs funded by the European Union.

As the world is in struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe are racing to find a vaccine. According to the website of the World Health Organization, as of Oct. 15, there were 198 COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed worldwide, and 42 of them were in clinical trials. Enditem

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