There is a first coronavirus case in the Weilheim-Schongau district: the patient is currently being treated in the Weilheim hospital.
Update: 8.15 p.m .:
The corona virus has reached the Weilheim-Schongau district. A man has been lying in isolation in the Weilheim hospital since Monday. Because it was initially assumed that it was "only" a flu patient, nursing staff is now also in quarantine. Health authorities and district hospitals have the situation under control.
The man from the Altland district of Weilheim is around 80 years old "and is therefore considered a risk patient," says Professor Dr. Andreas Knez, medical director at the Weilheim hospital. The condition is stable, but of course you can't look into the future. In a spontaneously convened press conference, Knez informed in the early Thursday evening together with District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiß, the deputy head of the health department, Dr. Richela Fischer and managing director Thomas Lippmann on the first official Corona case in the Weilheim-Schongau district.
The patient was admitted to the Weilheim hospital on Monday
The man had felt so bad on Monday that he alerted the emergency services, who brought him to the Weilheim hospital with flu symptoms. There, as is common in influenza cases, the patient was isolated in a room. Treating doctors and nurses who were with him wore protective clothing and masks. According to Knez, the only difference to corona patients was that doctors and nurses did not wear masks "of a higher standard". The reason: "They are extremely uncomfortable to wear and not necessary with normal influenza," said the medical director.
Because they wore normal masks, eleven hospital staff are now in quarantine at home, where they have to stay for 14 days. All were immediately tested for the Corona virus on Thursday. The health office expects the results on Friday afternoon. According to those responsible, the fact that the patient was not immediately tested for Corona is that he was not in any risk area and was apparently not in contact with sick people. "He had no risk factors at all," explains Deputy Healthcare Director Richela Fischer.
Only tested for the Corona virus on Wednesday
Only when the suspicion of flu was not confirmed - the negative influenza test result was available on Wednesday - was the man also tested for corona. And since yesterday the doctors have known that it is the said virus. Fischer clearly defended the procedure, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The scheme also makes sense, because otherwise all laboratories would be overloaded, she emphasizes. The health department, which had already had its hands in the days and weeks before day X to inform citizens about corona protection measures, started its well-prepared machinery yesterday.
Relatives and all other people with whom the patient was connected were quickly found and tested. In total, there should be ten to twelve people. They were also tested immediately and sent to home quarantine, where they have to stay for two weeks. "Measures were taken far beyond measure, the employees achieved great things hour by hour," explained clinic boss Thomas Lippmann, who thanked everyone involved in the health department and the two hospitals in Weilheim and Schongau.
No panic, no hamster purchases necessary
The workers in Schongau now have to prepare for more work because there are no staff in Weilheim. The big unknown yesterday was the place and the time when the 80-year-old got infected. As the home newspaper found out, he could have been infected while doing sports with another man who was last on a skiing holiday in South Tyrol. The round at the health department yesterday did not provide any information.
It is now important to reassure the population, because there is no need to panic, said Deputy Healthcare Director Richela Fischer. The procedure of the people who stocked up on groceries before the first corona case in Weilheim with groceries is completely unnecessary. "They'll throw everything away," she predicted last night.
Notification of origin from 4.15 p.m .:
Weilheim - The number of corona cases in Germany has been increasing for days, now the virus has also reached the district. As the health office and Krankenhaus GmbH Weilheim-Schongau just announced in a joint press release, a patient is being treated in Weilheim Hospital who has tested positive for the virus.
There is no precise information about the patient yet
The patient's clinical condition is said to be stable. "All necessary infection protection measures have been taken internally and externally in close consultation with the health department."
How old the patient is and where he got infected is currently not known. The health department announces further information tomorrow.
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