The 22 people identified in France as contact cases of the Dutch passenger on the MV Hondius who died from hantavirus are " currently hospitalized", according to the executive branch, which is preparing to clarify the procedures to follow with regard to other people they may have encountered.
The eight French citizens who took the first flight on April 25 from Saint Helena to Johannesburg with the sick passenger are " all hospitalized in Parisian hospitals", while the 14 other contact cases from the Johannesburg-Amsterdam flight that the passenger had unsuccessfully tried to take due to her health condition, are in different cities of France", the Ministry of Health explained.
The first group includes three teenagers who were traveling with their parents; all are hospitalized in Paris at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. One of the 22 contact cases who had been hospitalized in Rennes was transferred to Paris on Tuesday at his request, and after validation by the health authorities, in order to be closer to his place of residence.", a health source told AFP.
The day before, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist had reiterated during a press conference that contact cases should remain hospitalized for at least " for 14 days", or the average incubation period of hantavirus, which can, however, extend up to six weeks. She also noted that, for the moment, the positive cases recorded worldwide concern " exclusively cruise ship passengers and that there was no no evidence to suggest that the virus is circulating within the national territory"The hantavirus outbreak detected on the MV Hondius ship has resulted in three deaths."
The contact cases will be tested today (Wednesday)" , Philippe Besset, representative of the main federation of pharmacists (FSPF), told AFP on Wednesday after a meeting between the minister and numerous representatives of hospital and private healthcare professionals.
The minister is returned in a very precise way » on the events related to the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, « on France's policy which goes beyond the recommendations of the World Health Organization and who is preparing to define a protocol for contacts of contact cases" he added.
Sufficient stocks
But drafting a protocol for the care of people potentially exposed to an infectious disease, " It's something that usually happens." , of " logic"The president of the Convergence Infirmière union, Ghislaine Sicre, told AFP that during this meeting, the minister..." He emphasized that there was no circulation of the virus, nor any specific measures to be implemented by healthcare professionals, particularly regarding masks.", the Order of Pharmacists told AFP.
At this stage, France has only one confirmed case, which does not justify recommending any specific screening or treatment measures for the general population. However, in the event of infection, the illness is serious: the infected French woman, a cruise ship passenger over 65 years old who was repatriated with four passengers last weekend on a special flight, is still in intensive care at Bichat Hospital in Paris, in serious condition.
The Paris Public Hospitals (AP-HP) clarified, however, contrary to what was announced at Tuesday's press conference, that the patient " has not, at this stage, benefited from the implementation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation", an external oxygenation technique used when the lungs can no longer perform their functions. For the authorities, several elements constitute reassuring signs: the available sequencing data do not show any particular mutation at this stage.
And in the event of an epidemic in France, which is not the case, France has a stockpile of masks. to deal with it " during " minimum three months"Matignon indicated on Wednesday. Furthermore, no destination is currently being discouraged for French travelers due to hantavirus, according to the Ministry of Transport."
The Minister of Health will hold a meeting with her European counterparts on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. to convey the French position, which is taking maximum precautionary measures, like the United Kingdom and Spain, she reminded members of the Social Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
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