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Original article

Vol. 150 No. 0910 (2020)

Preliminary case report on the SARS-CoV-2 cluster in the UK, France, and Spain

  • Emma B Hodcroft
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2020.20212
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20212
Published
27.02.2020

Summary

Almost half of the confirmed COVID-19 cases detected so far in the United Kingdom are part of a large cluster of 13 British nationals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the UK, Spain, and France. Transmissions among this cluster occurred at a ski resort in France, and originated from a single infected traveller returning from a conference in Singapore where he acquired the virus. At least 21 individuals were exposed to the virus, tested, and quarantined, with 13 of those testing positive between the period of 6th February and 15th February. Here, all publicly available information about the primarily UK/France cluster is consolidated, providing a complete and accessible summary of the cases and their connections. Notable in this cluster are the number of individuals infected, the apparent absence of any severe illness among those infected, and a case of a “delayed positive” test during isolation after initially testing negative, at least 7 days after last possible contact.

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