As several new cases of people infected with the Covid-19 virus were reported in Europe, the health ministers of the countries bordering Italy, the European Union Member State most affected by the epidemic, met in Rome on Tuesday 25 February to agree on a joint action plan.
Statements following a series of meetings in Rome involving WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) are expected on Wednesday.
By late Tuesday afternoon, seven regions in Italy had been affected, including Tuscany and Sicily, while Croatia, Austria, Spain, and Switzerland faced their first confirmed cases.
One of the consequences of the epidemic at the European level could be the taking of measures calling into question the principle of free movement of persons within the Schengen area in order to curb the contagion.
“At this stage, no Member State has communicated its intention to reintroduce controls at its borders” within the meaning of the ‘Schengen’ Code, said Dana Spinant, Deputy Spokesperson of the Commission. She said that the Commission had nevertheless initiated a dialogue with Member States on this issue to exchange information and to “promote a coordinated approach”.
As a sign of growing tension, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte entered the fray on Tuesday, saying “it would be unfair for foreign States to impose restrictions”, the AFP reported.
The main Italian agricultural producers’ organisation (Coldiretti) has also strongly criticised the measure taken by the Romanian authorities requiring its nationals to observe a quarantine period when they come from Lombardy and Veneto, considering that Romanians represent the largest contingent - over 100,000 people - of agricultural workers in Italy.
Other measures taken include Bulgaria Air’s decision to cancel its flights from Milan to Sofia until the end of March. Iraq and Kuwait are prohibiting travellers from Italy from entering their territory, a measure already taken for travellers from other Asian countries.
On Monday, the European Health and Safety Committee, which brings together experts from the Member States, took stock of the situation. In particular, Italy has informed its European partners about the evolution of the epidemic on its territory and has promised to continue to do so, especially with regard to winter sports resorts.
“Several countries are updating their recommendations on travel to risk areas, and one country [France, editor’s note] is asking its returning citizens to inform the authorities and observe a 14-day self-isolation period”, the committee meeting minutes said.
In order to avoid “shortages” in Member States, “launching grouped purchases is imperative in order to guarantee patients and medical staff the necessary supply of equipment”, stressed Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé (EPP, France), in a press release, referring to an initiative announced by the Commission in mid-February at the ‘Health’ Council (see EUROPE 12425/1).
According to the European Commission, Member States had until Monday evening to inform the Commission of their needs.
See the minutes of the European Commission meeting: http://bit.ly/2VppNGb
Measures taken by European institutions. European institutions have taken new measures to limit the travel of their staff who may have visited the risk areas in the context of personal or business travel.
At the Commission, in addition to the measures already taken, European officials who have visited eleven towns and villages in Lombardy (Bertonico, Casalpusterlengo, Castelgerundo, Castiglione d'Adda, Codogno, Fombio, Maleo, San Fiorano, Somaglia and Terranova dei passerine) and Veneto (Vò), which are considered to be the epicentre of the epidemic, will have to stay at home for two weeks and take their temperature twice a day.
According to an internal Commission source, the number of persons concerned is very limited.
The European Parliament has asked its staff who have travelled to the Italian regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, as well as to China, Singapore and South Korea, to observe a 14-day quarantine period at home and only return to work in the European institution after receiving the green light from their general practitioner.
See the European Parliament’s letter and its update addressed to its staff: http://bit.ly/2viX4s3 and http://bit.ly/2PmYsRl
The pharmaceutical industry in action. On Tuesday, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) announced that its members, including Bayer, Roche and Genentech, Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson, are committed to the fight against the coronavirus, notably by providing financial support to European and Chinese field organisations and international health authorities (including the WHO).
It also indicated that it intends to accelerate collaborative research through its members by identifying all assets that could be used to develop diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion with Pascal Hansens)