The Invs indicates that no person with the coronavirus close to SARS has been detected in France even if 7 cases have been superseded. Human-to-human transmission is proven.
Since September 2012, the NCoV coranvirus, a strain close to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has claimed 13 lives worldwide, seven of whom died. The analysis of these cases and their course “strongly suggest the existence of human-to-human transmission of the infection,” indicates the Institute for Public Health Surveillance (Invs) in its bulletin dated February 20.
The age of the patients varies between 25 and 60 years. Ten cases are male. Geographical areas identified at risk include Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. “The last two cases, reported by the British health authorities, said the Invs, had not traveled to countries at risk. They had been in contact with the same confirmed case, which had traveled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. One of the last two cases developed a mild form of the disease (flu-like syndrome), which could suggest that low-symptomatic cases may have escaped the surveillance put in place. “However, adds the Institute, the data collected to date do not show a significant human-to-human transmission of this new virus in the community “.
In France, as soon as the discovery of this new virus was announced, clinicians likely to deal with cases of serious respiratory infection in people returning from a risk area were informed, in order to make them aware of the report and allow the detection of possible hospitalized cases. Following the implementation of this surveillance, 7 patients reported to InVS (showing signs of acute respiratory infection after a stay in the affected area) have been tested since 1er October 2012. They were negative for the coronavirus.
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