In the first 7 months of 2020, Hungary’s birth rate increased by 4.9%, according to the latest figures from the country’s Central Statistics Office.

The corresponding fertility rate increased from 1.44 to 1.53 compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, the number of births in the first quarter of 2020 decreased by 1,522 (9.6%) while deaths increased by 56 (0.6%) compared to the same period in 2019.

In Hungary, the figures show that there were 52,825 births in January-July, up 2,488. The number of marriages also increased, rising to 34,337, up 2,158 from last year.

Moreover, despite the covid pandemic, the number of deaths at 74,093, was down 3,992, or 5.1%, from last year.

The rise in births and a drop in deaths means that the rate of population decline slowed by 23 percent compared with the same period last year.