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| Coronavirus: France's first known case 'was in December' | Coronavirus: France's first known case 'was in December' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A patient diagnosed with pneumonia near Paris on 27 December actually had the coronavirus, his doctor has said. | A patient diagnosed with pneumonia near Paris on 27 December actually had the coronavirus, his doctor has said. |
| Dr Yves Cohen told French media a swab taken at the time was recently tested, and came back positive for Covid-19. | Dr Yves Cohen told French media a swab taken at the time was recently tested, and came back positive for Covid-19. |
| The patient, a man in his 50s who has since fully recovered, said he has no idea where he caught the virus as he had not been to any infected areas. | |
| This news means the virus may have arrived in France almost a month earlier than previously thought. | This news means the virus may have arrived in France almost a month earlier than previously thought. |
| Until now, the country's first three cases of coronavirus were confirmed on 24 January. | Until now, the country's first three cases of coronavirus were confirmed on 24 January. |
| Of those, two had been to Wuhan in China - where the outbreak was first detected - and the third was a close family member. | Of those, two had been to Wuhan in China - where the outbreak was first detected - and the third was a close family member. |
| How was the new case found? | How was the new case found? |
| Dr Cohen, head of emergency medicine at Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospitals near Paris, told French broadcaster BFMTV that he recently went over the files of patients admitted with flu-like symptoms in December and January. | Dr Cohen, head of emergency medicine at Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospitals near Paris, told French broadcaster BFMTV that he recently went over the files of patients admitted with flu-like symptoms in December and January. |
| In total he tested the swabs of 14 patients, he said. | In total he tested the swabs of 14 patients, he said. |
| "We re-tested the nasal swabs which were conducted at the time in relation to another diagnosis, to try and find traces of coronavirus," he said. | "We re-tested the nasal swabs which were conducted at the time in relation to another diagnosis, to try and find traces of coronavirus," he said. |
| "Out of 14 patients, one tested positive. We tested it two more times to make sure there was no mistake. And twice, it came back positive." | "Out of 14 patients, one tested positive. We tested it two more times to make sure there was no mistake. And twice, it came back positive." |
| Dr Cohen said he had alerted the National Health Agency (ARS), and was urging other virologists to re-test swabs in their hospitals for Covid-19. | Dr Cohen said he had alerted the National Health Agency (ARS), and was urging other virologists to re-test swabs in their hospitals for Covid-19. |
| A full report is due later this week, and will be published by the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, he added. | A full report is due later this week, and will be published by the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, he added. |