Tuesday afternoon, the Minister of Health Stéphanie Rist held a press conference surrounded specifically by the infectious illness specialist Xavier Lescure, the virologist Olivier Schwartz, the epidemiologist Antoine Flahault and the overall director of Public Well being France, Caroline Semaille.
Goal: take inventory of the house d’hantavirus which has already triggered three deaths among the many passengers of the boat MV Hondius and reply to issues in France. 20 Minutes takes inventory for you.
What do we all know concerning the circumstances recorded in France?
A French lady over 65 years previous is at the moment hospitalized in severe situation at Bichat hospital in Paris. Based on Xavier Lescure, it presents “probably the most extreme type of cardiopulmonary presentation” of the illness. The affected person is positioned on ECMO, an extracorporeal circulation system typically nicknamed “synthetic lung”.
The 4 different French cruise passengers repatriated together with her are adverse and don’t present signs. As a precaution, 22 French cas contacts had been additionally recognized and hospitalized. “They’re doing very nicely and haven’t any signs in any case, within the interviews which have been achieved and within the first who’re already hospitalized, they don’t have scientific signs,” in line with the minister.
Is the virus circulating in France?
At this stage, the authorities guarantee us that no. “The constructive circumstances recognized are completely cruise passengers” and there’s “no component in favor of circulation of the virus on the nationwide territory”, insisted Stéphanie Rist. Contact circumstances are remoted in adverse strain rooms with the intention to restrict any threat of airborne contamination.
Why is the “Andes” pressure so worrying?
Specialists confirmed that it was most probably the Andean pressure of hantavirus, probably the most harmful recognized. Not like the vast majority of hantaviruses, this one could be transmitted between people. Based on infectious illness specialist Xavier Lescure, this pressure is one in every of “the hantaviruses which have the very best mortality”. Public Well being France experiences a lethality of as much as 50%.
Epidemiologist Antoine Flahault, nevertheless, requires warning on these figures. Based on him, the mortality charges noticed in sure distant areas of the Andes should not essentially similar to these of highly equipped European hospitals.
How lengthy does incubation final?
This is among the large unknowns. Specialists at the moment recommend a median period of two to 3 weeks, which may go as much as six weeks. Nonetheless, Antoine Flahault emphasizes that this information may evolve. “We’ll maybe know with this episode immediately,” he defined, recalling that scientific information on this illness stays restricted.
Can asymptomatic sufferers transmit the virus?
Right here once more, scientists stay cautious. “At this stage, we can not but fully exclude that an asymptomatic affected person may very well be contagious,” mentioned Caroline Semaille. Based on Public Well being France, contamination may happen as much as 48 hours earlier than the primary signs seem. Olivier Schwartz additionally considers it “probably that there are asymptomatic sufferers”.
Are youngsters extra weak?
There may be at the moment no strong information to substantiate this. Three adolescents are among the many contact circumstances hospitalized in France. Based on Xavier Lescure, Argentine and Chilean docs observe “the identical illness” and “sadly the identical mortality” in youngsters as in adults, even when pediatric circumstances stay very uncommon.
Is France prepared within the occasion of a worsening?
The federal government claims to have realized classes from Covid-19. Stéphanie Rist affirmed that shares of masks had been being replenished and that no issue had been encountered in hospitalizing contact circumstances. On the Pasteur Institute, researchers additionally say they’re already engaged on the path of a vaccine. “We’re on deck,” promised Olivier Schwartz, believing that fast improvement can be potential as a result of “the construction of the virus is understood.”
