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Corona study shows: This is how patient 0's virus spread in Germany

2020-05-19T08:47:56.145Z


In March the coronavirus really spread in Germany. But the first cases already occurred in January. A study is tracking this down.


In March the coronavirus really spread in Germany. But the first cases already occurred in January. A study is tracking this down.

  • In the meantime, Germany was one of the hardest hit countries in the Corona crisis.
  • The first cases in the country were successfully contained.
  • Now a study reveals how patient 0 spread the virus early.
  • Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus * and the corona news from Germany. We also offer you the current number of cases in Germany * on a map. The following recommendations for corona protective measures * are currently available.

Munich - For the moment, the corona pandemic in Germany seems to be largely under control. The measures such as exit and contact restrictions * took effect like in hardly any other country, the so important number of reproductions has been kept below the magic number 1 for days, so an infected person infects less than another person. For the time being, the Federal Republic has been spared the worst-case scenario in the face of 8,000 deaths.

But everyone should be aware of how quickly everything can turn again and a second wave can spill over the country and its around 82 million inhabitants. Because only one positive case is sufficient, which could immediately accelerate the spread again .

Read more: Are people infected with corona infectious before they even notice anything? A study of the first cases at Webasto in Starnberg shows how quickly you can catch the virus - with a sobering conclusion.

Coronavirus in Germany: patient 0 brought disease from China

The best example is the story of patient 0 . In other words, the person who introduced the corona virus at all. A study by the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety in collaboration with the Robert Koch Institute and experts such as virologists Christian Drosten * shows the way to now, the corona-infected led to the first 16 in Germany, and especially the Upper Bavarian automotive supplier Webasto to create.

The virus came to Germany in the body of a Chinese woman from Shanghai who works for a branch of the German company in the Middle Kingdom. Before she went to Europe on business, she herself had a visit from her parents who lived in Wuhan. So the woman caught the infection before entering German soil on January 19. Workshops and meetings were on her schedule.

Coronavirus in Germany: Patient 0 is struggling with chest and back pain

Already the day after the arrival, she felt chest and back pain that she had never known before . But with a few painkillers like paracetamol , the woman hoped to stop the physical problems. During her stay she felt tired all the time, but put it down to jet lag.

Back patient 0 took an overnight flight and complained of fever after returning to Shanghai on January 22nd . Two days later, she measured her body temperature at 38.6 degrees, and there were also coughing fits . So she went to see a doctor on January 25, a corona test worked the next day, and finally the woman was admitted to a clinic on January 27.

Coronavirus in Germany: Four direct contacts from patient 0 infected

On the same day, Webasto was informed of the temporary guest's illness. Between January 27 and 29, four employees who had direct contact with Patient 0 turned out to be infected . The quartet was immediately hospitalized and isolated. Your immediate environment and the contacts of the previous two days were checked. All high-risk contacts were placed in two-week quarantine . Webasto closed the office space until February 11th.

By February 19, a total of 16 infected people had been registered, including four women. The average age of the sick was 35 years. Ten Chinese colleagues were among those infected . Another person from the land of smiles - named Patient 13 in the study - had accompanied her in several activities in Germany, both flew back together.

Coronavirus in Germany: Patient 1 gets it at a meeting

Patient 1 was sitting next to patient 0 at a one-hour meeting on January 20 in an approximately 12-square-meter room, while the two people on the other side of the table were not infected. On January 21, there was another brief contact between the two infected, two days later, patient 1 struggled with a sore throat . On January 25th and 26th - the weekend - the person had a 39 degree fever and a mild cough.

Although patient 2 had no direct contact with patient 0, all indications indicate that the two persons must have been infected. Also Patient 3 did not apply directly with patient 0, but worked on 24 January for a short time with one patient on the same computer. Two days later, patient 3 met privately with patient 12 , both sat close to each other for around 90 minutes and spent the rest of the evening together. The partner of patient 3 was also present, but apparently did not become infected.

Coronavirus in Germany: patient 12 experiences illness during vacation in Spain

Patient 12 traveled to Spain on January 28th - three days after the evening together . The person was admitted to the hospital there on January 30 due to the development and tested positive.

At three days had Patient 4 direct contact with patient 0 and was on January 24 by a shivering afflicted. This was followed by mild discomfort and nasal congestion , and patient 4 was hospitalized on January 28.

Coronavirus in Germany: Almost the entire household of patient 5 is infected

In patient 5 , a contagion of Patient 4 is likely. Both of them were sitting back to back in the canteen on January 22nd, but Patient 5 turned to Patient 4 to borrow the salt shaker from the table . Due to the positive test, the entire five-person household of patient 5 was hospitalized. Diseases also appeared in three of the four tested. They were cataloged as patients 6, 9 and 11 . Patient 9 became infected in patient 11, who initially had two negative tests.

Patient 7, in turn, became infected in patient 5 - the two of them were about a meter and a half apart on January 24 at a 90-minute meeting . The symptoms did not become apparent until four days later, on January 28th, patient 7 had a one-hour meeting with patient 10 , in which patient 16 also participated.

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Victim of the first small wave of corona in Germany: At the beginning of the year, several Webasto employees became infected.

© dpa / Lino Mirgeler

Coronavirus in Germany: Patients 8 and 10 are only discovered during a series of tests

Patient 8 must have been infected at one of the daily meetings with Patient 5 on January 22, 23 or 24. Both patient 8 and patient 10 were only identified as corona cases in a comprehensive series of tests by the company, both of which, according to their own statements, had previously shown only mild and non-specific symptoms .

The patient 14 and 15 is household members from patient 7, respectively 2, both seem to have thus been infected in this way. In  patients 15 and 16 , no illness was detected in the first tests * from January 29 to 31, which changed when checked again about two weeks later. The chain of infection * is not certain for patient 16 , who attended the meeting on January 28, during which patient 10 is believed to have contracted patient 7. On the same day, however, patient 16 was just three feet away from patient 8 at another meeting.

By the way: In the study, the researchers not only closely monitored the infection chain that started patient 0. It was also checked whether infected people can already transmit the virus to others before they show any symptoms themselves. The result of the study is sobering.

Coronavirus in Germany: Not a positive case when two patients are flying

The flights of patient 0 from Munich to Shanghai and patient 12 from Munich to Tenerife were also examined. No other corona case could be identified among the passengers or other contact persons until May 2.

With the exception of patient 15, all cases are considered to have normal symptoms *, fortunately in a mild form. Only this one sick person showed no symptoms . The incubation period ranged from one to seven days. The mean of exactly four is surprisingly low.

Coronavirus in Germany: A total of 241 contact persons identified

By February 19, 241 high-risk contacts had been identified , including 24 household members. Of the 217 other contact persons, eleven became infected - which is also a low value. This can be attributed to the rapidly imposed quarantine * and the temporary closure of the Webasto premises .

Only two of the patients struggled with pneumonia in the course of the disease , all others had only mild symptoms. All of them are now healthy again. However, the researchers also emphasize that it was mostly workers in their prime who generally had no previous illnesses.

The approach is largely praised, but the study concludes with the conclusion: "It could be difficult to achieve successful and long-term global containment of Covid-19." Which has already been shown in the course of the pandemic.

There are also more and more demonstrations against the restrictions in Germany. Does the distance rule really bring security? New knowledge raises doubts about it.

A mysterious childhood illness seems to be related to the coronavirus - there are already fatalities. The virologist Christian Drosten names the optimal number of reproductions - this is surprisingly high.

* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ipppen digital editorial network.

mg

List of rubric lists: © dpa / Julian Stratenschulte

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-05-19

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