19:13 05/31.2020(updated 7:18 p.m. May 31, 2020) Short url
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A retrospective study of French scientists claim that the Albert-Schweitzer hospital in Colmar received patients with symptoms resembling those of Covid-19 in November of last year, two months before the country officially announced its first case of infection.
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According to observations and research conducted by French scientists, the private Albert-Schweitzer hospital in Colmar received patients in November 2019 who could already have been infected with the new coronavirus, since their symptoms afterwards are very similar to those of Covid-19, reports a retrospective study conducted on chest scans by the hospital. However, France did not report the first case of coronavirus infection until two months later.
This study shows “first cases noted in our center on 16-11”, before “a very slow progression in the incidence of pathology until the end of February”, then a rapid increase with a peak on March 31, explains Thursday this hospital of 233 beds in a press release, quoted by AFP.
All of the 2,456 chest scans produced between November 1 and April 30 in this private Haut-Rhin hospital for various reasons were analyzed by Dr. Michel Schmitt, chief medical officer of the medical imaging department. Those appearing to be “Covid compatible” or “typical Covid” were reviewed a second time, then a third by two other radiologists.
“The virus has spread very sporadically”
According to Dr. Schmitt, “a few cases were therefore already in circulation in the region at the beginning of November”, but the “virus then dispersed very sporadically”, before accelerating “at the time of the events of the end of ‘year: Christmas markets, family celebrations, until the epidemic explodes after a religious gathering in Mulhouse, the last week of February’.
The Haut-Rhin was one of the departments earliest and most heavily affected by the epidemic.
“A collaboration has been launched with the CNRS to start an epidemiological exploitation of the results,” says the Albert-Schweitzer hospital.
“The establishment is considering many avenues to continue this study. On the one hand, it can be deepened using biological data or hospitalization reports, and on the other hand, it can be extended to other imaging centers, ”continues the establishment.
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