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CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS-FRANCE-BRITAIN
Five Brits test positive for coronavirus in France
PARIS, Feb 8, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Five British nationals including a child
have tested positive for the new coronavirus in France, the health minister
said Saturday, adding that they had all been staying at the same ski chalet.
France has now detected a total of 11 cases of the novel coronavirus, and
the new “cluster” is centred on a Briton who had returned from Singapore and
stayed in Contamines-Montjoie, near Mont Blanc in the French Alps, Health
Minister Agnes Buzyn said.
“They show no serious signs” of a life-threatening infection added Buzyn,
herself a doctor.
In addition to the five Britons who have tested positive for the virus, six
other Britons staying in the same chalet in late January were also
hospitalised for observation, the minister said.
Authorities are now seeking to contact people who came into close contact
with the initially infected Brit, she said.
Most of the six previous cases in France appear to have been treated
successfully, though all are still in hospital.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1657 hrs