UPDATE 2-France, EU partners to discuss coronavirus situation-health minister


Reuters | Paris | Updated: 24-02-2020 04:12 IST | Created: 24-02-2020 01:31 IST
UPDATE 2-France, EU partners to discuss coronavirus situation-health minister
Representative image Image Credit: ANI
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French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday that he would talk with his European counterparts soon to discuss how best to cope with a possible epidemic risk in Europe as Italy battles with an explosion of coronavirus cases. Veran also told a news conference there were no new cases in France and that the government was well prepared in case of an epidemic.

"Tonight there is no epidemic in France. But there is a problematic situation at the door, in Italy, that we are watching with great attention," Veran told a news conference. "The situation tonight is very evolutive at international level," he added. "I spoke with my Italian and German counterparts... We have agreed to have a discussion between several European health ministers, probably next week, to assess how we can together face epidemic risk."

Cases of the new coronavirus in Italy, the most affected country in Europe, rose on Saturday to more than 150, with three deaths, prompting the government to close off the worst-hit areas in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Veran was speaking after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe held a meeting earlier in the day to review the coronavirus situation with several key ministers.

Veran had told Le Parisien/Aujourdhui en France-Dimanche newspaper earlier in the day: "Today, there is only one infected patient in France, who is hospitalised in Lyon. His health condition is not worrying. All the others, apart from an 80-year old man who died, were released cured and are not contagious." The health minister said the number of laboratories in France equipped with diagnostic tests would be increased to reach a capacity of "several thousands" of tests a day, against 400 now.

The government was also raising to 70 from 38 the number of hospitals that could take infected patients, he said. China reported another fall in new coronavirus infections outside of its epicentre on Sunday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new cases and fears of contagion increased elsewhere.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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