BUDAPEST - Hungary will close all shops except foodstores and pharmacies and shift to remote learning in primary schools as COVID-19 cases are spreading fast, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday.

Gergely Gulyas told a government briefing that the government would extend state income support to sectors that have to close down from March 8 until March 22.

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Alex Richardson) ((KOMUVES.Anita@thomsonreuters.com;))