Coronavirus in France: isolating patients and locating their relatives to "contain the fire" - France 24

Paris (AFP)

After the confirmation of three cases positive for the Chinese coronavirus in France, the first in Europe, the health authorities must take the speed virus to prevent an epidemic from spreading, as one "circumscribes a fire".

- What do we know about the three cases found in France?

These are two patients hospitalized in Paris, at Bichat hospital, and one in Bordeaux, at CHU Pellegrin. The three patients have "stayed in China" and are subject to "isolation measures" to avoid contagion, said the Ministry of Health.

The one who is hospitalized in Bordeaux is 48 years old. He returned on January 22 to France after "a few days" in China where he notably "passed through Wuhan", said Friday evening the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn. "He is fine," she said.

For the moment, we have few details on the two patients hospitalized in Paris. We simply know that these are "close relatives", according to the ministry.

- How to prevent the virus from spreading?

"You have to treat an epidemic like you treat a fire," that is to say, "contain it as quickly as possible," said Buzyn.

For this, the health authorities must conduct an epidemiological investigation to identify all the people who may have been in contact with the three patients, and isolate them if necessary.

"All the people who have been in close contact with these patients are being counted. They will receive specific instructions from the health authorities to avoid contact, in order to limit the spread of the virus," according to the ministry.

- Will the flu blur the tracks?

One of the difficulties that the health authorities are likely to encounter comes from "the coexistence with a flu epidemic in full peak in Europe as in China", explained the number 2 of the ministry, the general director of health Jérôme Salomon, before even confirmation of the three positive cases.

Indeed, the symptoms of influenza are close to those caused by the coronavirus, "which hinders the possibilities of detection", according to Professor Salomon.

According to the weekly report released Wednesday by the health authorities, the flu epidemic currently affects five metropolitan areas (Ile-de-France, PACA, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Pays-de-la-Loire) and eight others should follow since they are in the pre-epidemic phase.

A team of Chinese scientists detailed the symptoms caused by the new coronavirus, in work published Friday by the medical journal The Lancet.

According to observations made on the first 41 cases identified in China, the effects of this coronavirus are close to those of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed 774 people worldwide (out of 8,096 cases) in 2002/2003: pneumonia , fever, cough, difficulty breathing and general fatigue.

Of the 41 patients in this study, six died.

- What to do if you think you are infected?

Health authorities have been hammering him since the start of the crisis: if you think you are infected with the coronavirus, you should not go to your doctor or the emergency room, to avoid any possible contamination, but stay at home and call 15 (Samu ) "reporting symptoms and recent stay in China".

Beyond the risks of contamination, an influx to panic emergency patients would be complicated to manage in a sector that already complains of overwork and a lack of resources. The emergency services launched 10 months ago, in March 2019, a mobilization movement which has since spread throughout the hospital.

Once treated after calling 15, patients likely to have been infected by the coronavirus are referred to so-called "reference" hospitals.

It is then the National Reference Center of the Institut Pasteur (based in Paris and Lyon) which checks whether the patient is positive or negative, thanks to a test developed after the sequencing of the virus by the Chinese.

There is no drug for coronavirus, and management is to treat the symptoms.

Furthermore, the authorities stress the importance of "barrier measures" (hand washing, etc.) to avoid possible contamination, such as for the flu.

- What measures for passengers coming from China?

Unlike other countries, France has not implemented border control measures for passengers coming from China, with their temperature controlled by thermal camera.

"The World Health Organization has not wished to declare a public health emergency of international concern, so there is no specific recommendation today for travelers," said Buzyn said Friday after the Council of ministers.

Otherwise, precautionary messages are broadcast on planes and posters have been placed at international airports.

In China, 18 cities including Wuhan, epicenter of the epidemic, are the subject of a gigantic sanitary cordon which affects 56 million people, to prevent the virus from spreading.

"There are 86 flights per week coming directly from China and landing at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle, the 26 flights from Wuhan are now canceled, so we have about sixty direct flights left," said Buzyn on Friday. . According to her, "all travelers receive a flyer (prospectus, editor's note) in French, in English and in Chinese" which is explained "the behavior to take".

© 2020 AFP