Corona virus: All news at a glance

+++ updates on January 31, 2020 +++

As the Bavarian Ministry of Health announced, the corona virus was detected for the first time in Germany in a child. It was the child of one of the five infected men who had been infected by a Chinese colleague. This was the first time that the virus was officially transmitted from person to person within a family in Germany. According to doctors, the condition of all sick people is stable.

Although China has undertaken far-reaching quarantine measures, the number of people infected with the coronavirus has skyrocketed again: According to the Health Commission, 1,981 other people have fallen ill in the Asian country, bringing the total number of people infected to 9,692. The death toll has also increased from 42 to 213. In total, there are now more than 100 documented cases of illness in around 20 countries outside of China.

Another case in Bavaria

Another suspected case was confirmed in Germany: this is a man from Bavaria who works in the same company as the previously confirmed sufferers (automotive supplier Webasto). The authorities have now identified a total of 110 people from the close contact environment of the man and also want to test them for the corona virus. In Italy, the cruise ship "Costa Smeralda" was arrested with around 7,000 people on board because of a suspected case. This has not been confirmed – the man affected has the flu.

World Health Organization announces international health emergency

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the international health emergency due to the coronavirus. It is a "health emergency of international scope".

Government wants to bring back citizens from Wuhan

The German government is currently planning a return campaign for German citizens from the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan on Saturday. About 90 people are affected who want to return voluntarily and are placed in quarantine for 14 days after landing at the Germersheim airbase in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Today: Free consultation hotline

Today, Friday, the health insurance company DAK offers a hotline between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., where experts answer all questions about the virus. The number is 0800 1111 841 and is free of charge for customers of all health insurance companies.

+++ updates on January 29, 2020 +++

In the meantime, the corona virus has reached Germany. Four Germans, all of whom work in the same company, have contracted the pathogen through a Chinese colleague. The woman had entered Germany for training purposes. According to the current status, the course of illnesses of all patients is "very, very mild", as Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said.

As various media report, there are also other suspected cases: several people in Schleswig-Holstein are under domestic isolation, in Wiesbaden one suspect patient is treated in isolation at the Helios Clinic, another in the District Clinic of Siegen (North Rhine-Westphalia).

Spahn calls on the citizens to "watchful serenity". It was to be expected that the virus had reached Germany, but the local authorities were well prepared.

Free information hotline on Friday

The health insurance of the DAK will offer a free hotline for information about the coronavirus next Friday, January 31, 2020. Medical experts answer all relevant questions between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The offer can be used by customers of all health insurance companies and can be reached on 0800 1111 841.

Researchers are breeding corona virus in the laboratory

Australian scientists from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infections and Immunity in Melbourne have now succeeded in reproducing and propagating the coronavirus in the laboratory using the genetic makeup of infected patients. By working together with other institutes and the WHO, the researchers hope to be able to develop a vaccine against the virus shortly.

+++ Original article from January 23, 2020 +++

On December 31, 2019, there were the first worrying reports from China: A "mysterious lung disease" had broken out in the city of Wuhan, which was fatal to some of those affected after a short time. But the pathogen did not get a name until early January 2020: Experts dubbed it "2019-nCoV", it belongs to the family of so-called corona viruses, similar to Sars, and Mers, which occurs more frequently in the Middle East. The corona viruses affect the upper respiratory tract and can cause pneumonia.

How dangerous is the corona virus?

In the meantime, the pathogen has spread: China currently reports at least 620 confirmed cases of illness, 17 affected people have died. The first case of illness in the United States became known last Tuesday. Most of the deaths in China are people with known medical conditions. In general, women and men seem to be equally affected by the virus in all age groups. However, experts urge calm: Virologists currently assess the viruses as less dangerous than, for example, the annual flu viruses.

How contagious is the virus?

How contagious the viruses are has not yet been fully clarified. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) assumes that the coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person to a limited extent, for example via smear or droplet infection. Corona viruses usually spread less quickly than flu viruses and do not mutate as quickly. With "2019-nCoV" it suggests that it could be different.

What helps against the corona viruses?

There is currently no treatment for the virus itself, the disease is treated accordingly based on the symptoms. For example, high hydration and bed rest are among the first measures. In severe cases, ventilation may also be necessary.

What are the Chinese authorities doing?

In addition to Wuhan, the Chinese authorities have quarantined two other cities with a population of more than a million. In Huanggang, public transport will be completely stopped at midnight, tourist attractions will remain closed, and the residents should no longer leave the city. The traffic restrictions also apply to the nearby city of Ezhou. In total, almost 20 million people are affected by the restrictions.

One of the reasons for the strict regulations: The upcoming Chinese New Year next weekend is actually the main travel season of the country. Many Chinese also come from abroad to visit their relatives – and could then leave again infected. The corona virus could thus spread faster.

What arrangements are made in Germany?

"The danger for Germany from the newly occurring corona virus is currently assessed by our experts as very low," says the daily mirror at the Federal Ministry of Health. "Nevertheless, we are of course closely monitoring the situation in China and are in constant communication with our international partners."

Nevertheless, the responsible authorities are preparing for the emergency: at the Berlin Charité, for example, the virus can already be detected by means of a test, and the staff is prepared for the treatment of appropriate patients. The emergency is also being tested at airports in many countries. If, for example, there is a suspected case on board an aircraft, it must be redirected to an airport that has certain supply capacities. In Germany, this affects the airports in Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Tegel and Schönefeld in Berlin as well as Frankfurt and Munich.

What's next?

This Thursday, a WHO emergency committee will decide whether an international health emergency should be declared. Yesterday, the EU prevention agency ECDC in Solna, Sweden upgraded the transmission risk in Europe from "low" to "moderate" on Wednesday. If the decision for a health emergency is made, the travel and safety information from the WHO and the Federal Foreign Office would also be adapted accordingly.