Corona hot spot? Virus in Ischgl since the beginning of February

Ischgl / Vienna (dpa) - According to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Security (Ages), the corona virus has been spreading in the popular and recently focused winter sports resort of Ischgl since the beginning of February.

The Ages announced on Thursday evening that, according to her research, a Tyrolean was already infected with the corona virus on February 8. In doing so, the agency corrected its information from a press conference in the morning, according to which patient 0 should have been a Swiss woman who was probably infected on February 5.

The Tyrolean was only tested positive for Sars-CoV-2 in March, as the Ages told the Austrian news agency APA. According to Ages, the woman was in an après-ski restaurant in Ischgl.

The state of Tyrol had recently been heavily criticized for its crisis management. The country is accused of not having finished skiing quickly enough. Après-ski parties with many international guests in particular are now considered to be the germ cells and distributors of the virus. Ischgl had come into particular focus.

Ages expert Franz Allerberger said on Thursday morning that around 600 corona infections in Austria can currently be traced back to Ischgl and the surrounding communities. According to Allerberger, this number could be up to twice as large abroad. According to the Ages expert, the bartender, who is believed to have infected many people, was not the only distributor of the virus. The man was only the first to go to the doctor of those affected in Ischgl and tested positive in early March.

The Ages is one of the most important organizations in dealing with the Coronavisus crisis in Austria. As of March 31, around 17 percent of all corona tests in the Alpine Republic were evaluated in Ages laboratories.

Statement by the Ages from Thursday evening