Brussels, 13/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 13 May, following the second case of the new coronavirus (NCoV) confirmed in France, Françoise Grossetête MEP (EPP, France) has sent the European Commission a priority written question in order to obtain more precise information about: 1) the exact number of cases identified in the European Union; 2) how dangerous the virus is (particularly in relation to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - SARS) and; 3) possible precautionary measures to be taken against the risk of contagion. Grossetête said that “we are now certain that the virus is capable of being transmitted from one human being to another. This hypothesis was confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Cases have also been reported in Germany and the United Kingdom”. The MEP added that European recommendations would be welcome in order to “reduce the amount of contradictory information and avoid a climate of fear”. As we go to press, the European Commission has not, as yet, been able to answer the questions put to it.
Two cases of the new coronavirus have now been detected in France, which brings the number of cases in Europe to eight (four have been identified in the United Kingdom and two in Germany) according to the French Institut de veille sanitaire. So far, the virus has led to the deaths of around 20 people out of the 34 cases detected in the world. This new virus was identified in Saudi Arabia in September 2012 in two patients, who were admitted to hospital with severe pulmonary disorders in June and September 2012 respectively. Following these two cases, monitoring coordinated by the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) began, in an effort to detect other possible cases. The majority of people infected are from, or have visited, the Arabian Peninsula or neighbouring countries. On 12 May, the WHO confirmed that the virus could be transmitted from one person to another and called on the whole world to step up its vigilance. NCoV is caused by a virus that comes from the same family as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which led to the deaths of more than 800 people, mainly in China and elsewhere in Asia, in 2003 before being eradicated. NCoV, however, does not appear to be as virulent, with around 30 cases detected over the period of a few months as opposed to 800 for the SARS virus over the same timescale. According to a specialist from the Institut Pasteur, Arnaud Fontanet: “This virus has existed for a year and has not exploded into any kind of epidemic. We don't need to be worried but we do need to be vigilant and take robust action”. Transmission of the virus, through the respiratory tract, over rather short distances appears to predominate and this, according to the specialist quoted above, should help to contain the spread of the virus. (IL/transl.fl)