The corona virus continues to spread in NRW. Experts are now advising drastic measures. But panic is not necessary.
- More than 900 people have been infected with the corona virus in NRW .
- Experts want to slow down the spread with drastic measures.
- So we should stick to their recommendations .
Dortmund / NRW - The novel corona virus is spreading further in NRW . That was predictable, so panic is inappropriate. But experts advise drastic measures to prevent rapid spread, similar to that in Italy. RUHR24.de * answers the most important questions about the strategy of the experts.
What is the current status of the corona virus in NRW?
According to WA, around 900 people in North Rhine-Westphalia have contracted the new corona virus. "The situation is picking up speed," said Frank Renken, head of the Dortmund Health Department on Wednesday evening (March 11).
Around half of those infected come from the particularly affected district of Heinsberg . To prevent the virus from spreading even faster, cities like Dortmund , Bochum and Cologne are now canceling major events .
This also includes concerts in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne *, for example. Football games are still taking place, but without spectators. Most schools and day care centers, however, remain open until further notice. The same applies to local public transport.
Coronavirus in NRW: Why large events have to be canceled
"If we don't want to stop living completely immediately, I have to interrupt the spread of large groups," says Frank Renken, head of the Dortmund Health Department. The top of the city has set itself the goal of interrupting the infection chain . That is why all cultural events in Dortmund were canceled by mid-April (more in the live ticker). * Also in the hope that other organizers would move along.
This is the only way to prevent people from being spared the virus who are expected to have a severe course of the disease Covid-19 . According to the Robert Koch Institute, this includes those with previous diseases of the lungs and chronic diseases such as diabetes, but also cancer and immune deficiencies.
Coronavirus: what about smaller events?
From the perspective of the city of Dortmund and other municipalities, smaller events should also be canceled. In general, however, the smaller the event, the lower the risk of infection . The city of Bochum has established a catalog of criteria for events * and also appeals to the reason of the people.
"This is by no means an exaggeration, since we are currently still at a stage of virus spreading in which we can all do something through our daily behavior," says Dr. Bernhard Schaaf, Director of the Clinic for Pneumology and Infectiology in the Lung Center of the Dortmund Clinic .
Dr. Bernhard Schaaf from the Dortmund Clinic.
© Dortmund Clinic
The goal must be that the corona virus spreads as slowly and in a controlled manner as possible. Only then can the health care of the population be maintained.
What happens if the virus spreads like it did in Italy?
In short: then the beds could become scarce. In Dortmund there are already plans in the event that the pandemic develops as it did in Italy , said Health Director Renken on Wednesday. There have meanwhile died more than 800 people from Covid-19 because of many serious cases.
Renken: "If the pandemic continues to develop like this, we would have to change the way patients are treated." That would mean that non-urgent operations would be postponed to make room for intensive care patients. Around 180 beds for intensive care patients would be available in Dortmund , many of which could be ventilated.
But this is also the limiting factor: If these beds are permanently occupied by seriously ill people, new cases cannot be treated. In general, Renken estimates that the number of these beds in Germany is around a hundred times higher than in Italy.
Why do schools and kindergartens stay open for the time being despite the corona virus?
" Schools are not among the groups at risk," says Renken. Serious courses of Covid-19 disease are rarely seen in younger people. Therefore, each individual case is considered here. There are therefore no general closures in Dortmund, but in individual cases this is possible.
However, this would be problematic with regard to the childcare situation, such as the cases of the coronavirus in a daycare center in Bergkamen (Unna district) *. The parents also have to stay at home there because the children are in quarantine .
Class trips for schools in NRW were nevertheless canceled until the Easter holidays. The Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday in Düsseldorf .
Why should I stay at home when the virus is hardly dangerous to me?
So that you don't infect older people. In general, the risk of developing Covid-19 seriously increases from the age of 50 to 60 years. Risk groups in particular, such as chronically ill people and people with a weak immune system or previous illnesses, have to be protected against being infected with the coronavirus .
In other words, those who have only mild symptoms and still go to events are at risk of infecting others whose worst-case scenario could be fatal .
Why should everything get better in mid-April?
This is the current forecast by the experts in Dortmund. It is based on assumptions made from data on the illnesses, for example from China and Italy. For us there is also a certain information advantage, says Renken.
In addition, slight cases are already recognized in Germany . On the other hand, difficult courses are fatal. In China, these caused many other easy cases. The rate of new infections there is currently very low.
With the corona virus we are now at a point where it is crucial to "keep the curve flat". That means we do everything we can to slow the spread of the virus. The hashtag is #FlattenTheCurve. A # thread.
Graphics: CC-BY-SA 4.0 Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris pic.twitter.com/4ROnsQIQU0
According to Renken, the highest level in NRW should be reached in two to three weeks. Otherwise, the schedule now made is unrealistic. Only the drastic measures that experts are now proposing can contribute to this.
Video: Corona virus - what applies now and how far can I plan?
What to do about symptoms?
For symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever and chest pain, the following also applies: Call a doctor or the local health department and describe the symptoms. Then it is decided whether a test for the corona virus or a quarantine is necessary. ffo
* RUHR24.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network