This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/world/europe/germany-coronavirus.html
The article has changed 25 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Germany Tries to Solve a Coronavirus Puzzle With ‘Endless Pieces’ | Germany Tries to Solve a Coronavirus Puzzle With ‘Endless Pieces’ |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| BERLIN — By the time German health officials in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had confirmed the state’s first case of the coronavirus, the patient was already so ill that he had been placed on a respirator. He was in no position to help authorities, who urgently needed to retrace his steps to try to stop, or at least slow, the virus from spreading. | BERLIN — By the time German health officials in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had confirmed the state’s first case of the coronavirus, the patient was already so ill that he had been placed on a respirator. He was in no position to help authorities, who urgently needed to retrace his steps to try to stop, or at least slow, the virus from spreading. |
| Already, they had lost time. The virus has a 14-day incubation period, so they knew that the man, who was hospitalized on Monday, could have infected many more people before he started receiving care, all of whom were now in a position to pass the virus across Germany’s most populous state and beyond. | Already, they had lost time. The virus has a 14-day incubation period, so they knew that the man, who was hospitalized on Monday, could have infected many more people before he started receiving care, all of whom were now in a position to pass the virus across Germany’s most populous state and beyond. |
| “We were faced with a puzzle that we thought had 10,000 pieces, only to realize it has endless pieces,” Ulrich Hollwitz, a spokesman for the Heinsberg district where the man lives with his wife and two children, said on Thursday. “Where was he and when? Who did he have contact with and how close? We had to start working like detectives.” | “We were faced with a puzzle that we thought had 10,000 pieces, only to realize it has endless pieces,” Ulrich Hollwitz, a spokesman for the Heinsberg district where the man lives with his wife and two children, said on Thursday. “Where was he and when? Who did he have contact with and how close? We had to start working like detectives.” |
| What the authorities were able to discover was worrisome: The man had not traveled to China, or to other virus hot spots like Italy, nor was he known to have come in contact with someone confirmed by the authorities to have been infected. | What the authorities were able to discover was worrisome: The man had not traveled to China, or to other virus hot spots like Italy, nor was he known to have come in contact with someone confirmed by the authorities to have been infected. |
| If the mystery of how he contracted the virus could not be solved, the risk of its spreading widely would rise considerably, with authorities losing the capability to track, and isolate, people who could infect others. | If the mystery of how he contracted the virus could not be solved, the risk of its spreading widely would rise considerably, with authorities losing the capability to track, and isolate, people who could infect others. |
| So shortly after his test results came back positive late Tuesday, officials in the Heinsberg district jumped into action. First, they turned to the man’s wife, who by Wednesday morning had also tested positive for the virus, pressing her for as much information as she could give. | So shortly after his test results came back positive late Tuesday, officials in the Heinsberg district jumped into action. First, they turned to the man’s wife, who by Wednesday morning had also tested positive for the virus, pressing her for as much information as she could give. |
| Unable to identify the man’s source of infection right away, authorities turned their focus to anyone in the couple’s immediate sphere, who were ordered to stay home. Because she was a preschool teacher and the couple had two children of their own, officials ordered all district schools and preschools closed for the remainder of the week. | Unable to identify the man’s source of infection right away, authorities turned their focus to anyone in the couple’s immediate sphere, who were ordered to stay home. Because she was a preschool teacher and the couple had two children of their own, officials ordered all district schools and preschools closed for the remainder of the week. |
| The couple’s children, who have shown no symptoms of illness, were sent to stay with their grandparents and told to remain in isolation. | The couple’s children, who have shown no symptoms of illness, were sent to stay with their grandparents and told to remain in isolation. |
| Fifty district employees were assigned to a crisis team and specialists were sent in from the state’s health ministry and from Germany’s center for disease control, the Robert Koch Institute. | Fifty district employees were assigned to a crisis team and specialists were sent in from the state’s health ministry and from Germany’s center for disease control, the Robert Koch Institute. |
| Then began the work of retracing the man’s steps, in hopes of figuring out how he had contracted the virus. | Then began the work of retracing the man’s steps, in hopes of figuring out how he had contracted the virus. |
| “We are pretty sure that the man was the first to be infected in the chain, but we don’t know from whom,” said Karl-Josef Laumann, the health minister for North Rhine-Westphalia. “It is a problem that we don’t know the start of the chain of infection, which could lie beyond North Rhine-Westphalia.” | “We are pretty sure that the man was the first to be infected in the chain, but we don’t know from whom,” said Karl-Josef Laumann, the health minister for North Rhine-Westphalia. “It is a problem that we don’t know the start of the chain of infection, which could lie beyond North Rhine-Westphalia.” |
| In the weeks leading up to the man’s illness, the couple had been active in their jobs and communities, making a short visit across the border to the Netherlands and, on the weekend of Carnival, taking part in a local festival with hundreds of others from around the area, his wife said. | In the weeks leading up to the man’s illness, the couple had been active in their jobs and communities, making a short visit across the border to the Netherlands and, on the weekend of Carnival, taking part in a local festival with hundreds of others from around the area, his wife said. |
| German Carnival parties involve people packed tightly together, drinking and dancing, hugging and kissing, meaning that any of the 300 people who attended could have been infected. | German Carnival parties involve people packed tightly together, drinking and dancing, hugging and kissing, meaning that any of the 300 people who attended could have been infected. |
| “There is a lot of close contact, in all directions,” said Mr. Hollwitz, the district spokesman. “We were facing a huge task, even though we knew we wouldn’t find everyone. We had to do our best to stop the chain of infection.” | “There is a lot of close contact, in all directions,” said Mr. Hollwitz, the district spokesman. “We were facing a huge task, even though we knew we wouldn’t find everyone. We had to do our best to stop the chain of infection.” |
| Anyone who had attended the Feb. 25 event in the town of Langbroich Gangelt was ordered to remain at home until the end of the week, as was anyone who had been in close contact with the couple or their family. | Anyone who had attended the Feb. 25 event in the town of Langbroich Gangelt was ordered to remain at home until the end of the week, as was anyone who had been in close contact with the couple or their family. |
| “With every person we reached who he had been in contact with, we learned more. Everyone was able to add to our knowledge,” Mr. Hollwitz said. “It was as if we started with a very blurry photo and with each person contacted, we had an additional pixel that made it sharper.” | “With every person we reached who he had been in contact with, we learned more. Everyone was able to add to our knowledge,” Mr. Hollwitz said. “It was as if we started with a very blurry photo and with each person contacted, we had an additional pixel that made it sharper.” |
| By Wednesday evening, three more men and a woman, all of whom had been in contact with the infected couple, had tested positive for the virus. | By Wednesday evening, three more men and a woman, all of whom had been in contact with the infected couple, had tested positive for the virus. |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | Updated June 12, 2020 |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| Germany now has more than two dozen cases, but authorities have decided not to impose full lockdowns on cities or towns, instead relying on people to exercise caution and follow orders for isolation at home. | Germany now has more than two dozen cases, but authorities have decided not to impose full lockdowns on cities or towns, instead relying on people to exercise caution and follow orders for isolation at home. |
| “We all saw that in China they closed everything off, and the number of cases still went up,” said the district administrator, Stephan Pusch. “We are a free country and we have citizens who can be reached, who react, as far as I know, to our recommendations and I think that for our country, that should be our point of orientation.” | “We all saw that in China they closed everything off, and the number of cases still went up,” said the district administrator, Stephan Pusch. “We are a free country and we have citizens who can be reached, who react, as far as I know, to our recommendations and I think that for our country, that should be our point of orientation.” |
| The German government has begun registering anyone arriving in the country by air or by sea, and will soon do the same for those arriving over land, as part of efforts to make it easier to trace — and shut down — any future chains of infection. | The German government has begun registering anyone arriving in the country by air or by sea, and will soon do the same for those arriving over land, as part of efforts to make it easier to trace — and shut down — any future chains of infection. |
| They cite the apparent success of halting the spread of the virus last month in Bavaria, where a woman from China infected a German employee in a factory in Stockdorf. The day after the employee fell ill, the company, the car parts manufacturer Webasto, closed its shop for two weeks. All employees and their family members were ordered to stay home. | They cite the apparent success of halting the spread of the virus last month in Bavaria, where a woman from China infected a German employee in a factory in Stockdorf. The day after the employee fell ill, the company, the car parts manufacturer Webasto, closed its shop for two weeks. All employees and their family members were ordered to stay home. |
| The measure, although unpopular in the town, succeeded in stopping the spread of the disease, officials said. | The measure, although unpopular in the town, succeeded in stopping the spread of the disease, officials said. |
| By late Thursday in the Heinsberg district, 14 more people from the infected man’s town had tested positive for the virus. None of the new cases were serious enough to require hospitalization, and they were all ordered to remain at home, in isolation, as the search for the source of the infection continued. | By late Thursday in the Heinsberg district, 14 more people from the infected man’s town had tested positive for the virus. None of the new cases were serious enough to require hospitalization, and they were all ordered to remain at home, in isolation, as the search for the source of the infection continued. |
| “The man had business contacts beyond the state,” Mr. Laumann, the state health minister said. “But the good thing is that all of the new infections that we have so far come from people around this couple.” | “The man had business contacts beyond the state,” Mr. Laumann, the state health minister said. “But the good thing is that all of the new infections that we have so far come from people around this couple.” |