From Corsica to Guyana via Île-de-France and Normandy, cases of coronavirus infections multiplied on Thursday throughout France among the faithful who participated in a large evangelical gathering in Mulhouse (Haut- Rhine) in February.
This week of fasting and prayer, organized by the Christian Open Door, one of the largest Evangelical Protestant churches in France, brought together around 2,000 people from all over France, including the overseas departments and neighboring countries, in Mulhouse from 17 to February 24. Several dozen have been contaminated.
Wednesday, the Haut-Rhin prefecture had announced the contamination of 10 people in the department, in connection with this event. She called on the participants to be vigilant and to contact center 15 in case of symptoms.
His fears of dissemination became reality on Thursday, with cases identified among the faithful in many regions, some of which have so far been spared by the epidemic.
In Guyana, the prefect announced five first cases, in Saint-Laurent du Maroni (three teachers, a doctor from the hospital center and a child). The five infected people participated in this Lenten week in Mulhouse.
According to the communications officer for the Mulhouse church, Nathalie Schnoebelen, the pastor of La Porte Ouvert Christian de Guyane church, accompanied by "a small team", came to the rally.
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In Paris, an RATP employee working at a station on line 6 of the metro, infected with the coronavirus, would also have participated in this rally, according to the CGT-RATP.
Three cases in Corsican pensioners
The last two regions of metropolitan France still spared the new coronavirus were also affected Thursday, with three cases in Corsican retirees and one in a 73-year-old woman from Center-Val-de-Loire. All had taken part in the Lenten week of Mulhouse.
In Briançon (Hautes-Alpes), three faithful returning from Mulhouse were also contaminated. At the other end of France, in the Manche, three others were taken care of by the Saint-Lô Hospital Center.
In the South West, a couple of faithfuls tested positive at the Agen hospital, the man confined to his home and his wife transferred to the Bordeaux University Hospital. In Burgundy Franche-Comté, the ARS announced Thursday no less than 25 new cases of coronavirus, indicating that "most" would be linked to the Mulhouse rally.
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Participation in this Lenten Week, organized for 25 years, did not require prior registration, which complicates the identification of potential patients. "People come from all over the French-speaking world, from Guyana, the West Indies, neighboring countries," explained Nathalie Schnoebelen.
It also announces cases among Swiss faithful, while the Swiss Confederation had its first death on Thursday linked to the coronavirus. "We have no return from the Germans and the Belgians," added Nathalie Schnoebelen.
About 300 children she said participated in this week of celebrations. "For the least attended meetings, we were a good thousand people, and for the most attended 2,000 to 2,500 people", said Wednesday Dr. Jonathan Peterschmitt, son of the pastor of this church, himself contaminated, as well only two members of his family.
"When we pray together, we can hold hands," adds Nathalie Schnoebelen, stressing that at that time, precautions related to the virus were not yet in order.
