First cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in France: surveillance, investigations and control measures, January 2020

Abstract

A novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) causing a cluster of respiratory infections (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, was identified on 7 January 2020. The epidemic quickly disseminated from Wuhan and as at 12 February 2020, 45,179 cases have been confirmed in 25 countries, including 1,116 deaths. Strengthened surveillance was implemented in France on 10 January 2020 in order to identify imported cases early and prevent secondary transmission. Three categories of risk exposure and follow-up procedure were defined for contacts. Three cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on 24 January, the first cases in Europe. Contact tracing was immediately initiated. Five contacts were evaluated as at low risk of exposure and 18 at moderate/high risk. As at 12 February 2020, two cases have been discharged and the third one remains symptomatic with a persistent cough, and no secondary transmission has been identified. Effective collaboration between all parties involved in the surveillance and response to emerging threats is required to detect imported cases early and to implement adequate control measures.

A hundred days into the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic

“…France and Germany had experienced the first importation of cases already in January [4,5]. On 10 March, Italy passed the mark of 10,000 confirmed cases and on 19 March, the total number of fatalities in Italy exceeded 3,000, topping the total number of reported fatalities in China.…”

Preliminary case report on the SARS-CoV-2 cluster in the UK, France, and Spain

“…Contact tracing in some of these clusters has provided valuable information about how SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted, including the serial interval (time between cases), incubation time, recovery time, and the relationship between symptom presentation and transmission possibility. The exposure, timelines, contacts, and symptoms of the first three cases of COVID- 19 in France have been described in detail [16].…”

The experience of high-flow nasal cannula in hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in two hospitals of Chongqing, China

“…In a hospital, 29% of health care workers and 12% of patients who were already hospitalized for other reasons have been identified as presumed hospital-related transmission and infection [4]. The NCIP has spread worldwide and many countries have reported cases of NCIP [8][9][10][11]. As of February 11, 2020, 44,672 cases with NCIP were confirmed and 1023 cases died in China [12].…”