⁍ Testing in the central European country has struggled to keep up with the pace of infections.

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⁍ Antigen tests detects proteins on the surface of the virus.

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⁍ They require an uncomfortable nasal or throat swab.

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– Hungary has seen more than 47,000 cases of coronavirus this year, with 1,173 deaths, making it the third-most-infected country in Europe—and the first in Central Europe, the New York Times reports. To help fight the disease, Prime Minister Viktor Orban says the country will start using antigen tests, which detect proteins on the virus’ surface, and rapid antigen tests, which can deliver results in minutes, Reuters reports. “We believe that antigen tests have a similar reliability to PCR tests,” Orban said. “Our experts have advised us to make the decision to … introduce antigen tests as well and this will begin, possibly as soon as tomorrow.” Antigen tests require an uncomfortable nasal or throat swab, and can produce results more quickly than PCR tests—which detect genetic material—but are considered less accurate. “Hungary weathered Europe’s first COVID-19 wave in the spring fairly well thanks to a tough lockdown,” notes the Times. “But, like neighboring countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary has seen a sharp rise in cases over the past month, though the government has resisted calls for more onerous restrictions that would deepen an economic downturn.”