ABSTRACT
In the WHO European Region, COVID-19 surveillance was implemented 27 January 2020. We detail the first European cases. As at 21 February, nine European countries reported 47 cases. Among 38 cases studied, 21 were linked to two clusters in Germany and France, 14 were infected in China. Median case age was 42 years; 25 were male. Late detection of the clusters' index cases delayed isolation of further local cases. As at 5 March, there were 4,250 cases.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections , Pneumonia, Viral , Population Surveillance , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Betacoronavirus/genetics , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , COVID-19 , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Europe/epidemiology , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2 , Travel , Viral Envelope Proteins/analysis , World Health Organization , Young AdultABSTRACT
We studied 1,432 febrile travelers from Sweden who had returned from malaria-endemic areas during March 2005-March 2008. In 383 patients, paired serum samples were blindly analyzed for influenza and 7 other agents. For 21% of 115 patients with fever of unknown origin, serologic analysis showed that influenza was the major cause.