First case of coronavirus confirmed in Germany

https://www.dpa-international.com/topic/first-case-coronavirus-confirmed-germany-urn%3Anewsml%3Adpa.com%3A20090101%3A200128-99-659625

Berlin (dpa) - The first case of the new coronavirus has been confirmed in Germany, a spokesman for the Munich health ministry said late on Monday.

The patient is a man from the Starnberg area of Bavaria, some 30 kilometres south-west of Munich.

He is in a stable condition, according to a statement from the Bavarian office for health and food security (LGL).

"He is being monitored by medical staff and is isolated," the statement said.

A spokesman for Bavaria's health ministry said the risk of infection to the people of the German state was seen as low by experts from an LGL infectious disease taskforce and the Robert Koch Institute, the German government's research agency for disease control and prevention.

Those who had close contact with the patient have been fully briefed on symptoms, hygiene measures and how the virus is spread.