A sixth Briton has been tested "positive" for coronavirus within the hospitalized group after the discovery of a grouped contamination in a chalet in Haute-Savoie, health authorities announced on Saturday. This brings to twelve the number of confirmed cases in France since the appearance of this Covid-19 disease epidemic in China, said in a statement the Ministry of Health.
Half of these cases concern the British, all contaminated by one of their compatriots returning from Singapore and rubbed shoulders in a chalet in Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie), a few days in late January. A week ago, health authorities had announced five confirmed cases within this group - four adults and a 9-year-old child - hospitalized in the Lyon region.
"His condition does not inspire concern to date"
Six other people, who had stayed in the same chalet, had also been hospitalized and placed under surveillance and in isolation. It was one of them that turned out positive on Saturday. This patient, whose age has not been communicated, "has remained in strict isolation in a referral hospital in Lyon since last Saturday (February 8), in accordance with the enhanced surveillance procedure for contact cases," reports the ministry. "Since his arrival at the hospital, he has been regularly evaluated and tested. A coronavirus test has been positive today", according to the press release which ensures that "his condition does not cause concern today". "This underlines the relevance of the isolation measures recommended for high-risk contact persons implemented in France," argues the ministry.
Among the twelve cases confirmed in France, an 80-year-old Chinese tourist died on Friday. Four are now cured and discharged from the hospital and a total of seven are hospitalized (the six British and the daughter of the deceased patient).