No new coronavirus cases in France

New coronavirus: all clear for suspected cases in France

05/11/2013

In France, the all-clear on Saturday was given to three people who feared they had contracted the new coronavirus. However, two more infections were confirmed in Saudi Arabia.

Relief in France
On Saturday, French health minister Marisol Touraine announced in Lille that "the three suspected cases surrounding a patient with the new coronavirus have not been confirmed". However, "two more cases would be investigated". The three people are a doctor, a nurse, and another patient who "had all had contact with a coronary patient in Lille." However, the 65-year-old patient, who recently returned from a trip from Saudi Arabia, is still in intensive care.

More infections in Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities have notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of two more cases of new coronavirus infection. These are men at the age of 48 and 58 years. Presumably, the new cases will be linked to the outbreak of the pathogen in a health facility in early May, WHO said Friday. In Saudi Arabia, a total of 15 infections with the lethal virus have been reported since, of which seven have been fatal. The most recent cases of infection are people with pre-existing conditions. The 48-year-old was in a stable condition and the 58-year-old was already released after overcoming illness.

Still no means to stop the virus
The virus (hCoV), first discovered in 2012 by a Saudi Arabian man, causes flu-like symptoms. So far there is no adequate means to stop the virus. The WHO has a total of 33 known cases, 18 people died, including a man in Munich. (Sb)

Image: Michael Bührke