Three cases of coronavirus confirmed in France, first in Europe
January 25, 2020, 10:58 am

Three cases of coronavirus confirmed in France, first in Europe

Air travellers wear masks as they arrive at Ivalo Airport, Finland. (Reuters)

Three cases of the coronavirus have been “confirmed” in France, the first in Europe, officials said Friday.

The first case involved a patient in a hospital in the southwestern city of Bordeaux while the other was in Paris, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn told reporters.

A third person, who is a close relative of one of the other two, has also been confirmed to have the virus, the health ministry said later.

All three had recently travelled to China and had now been placed in isolation.

“We are in the process of tracing the history of these patients who have tested positive to get in touch with the people they have been in contact with,” Buzyn said earlier.

“We have today the first European cases probably because we developed the test very quickly and we are capable of identifying them.

The first patient, 48, who returned to France on January 22 after having “passed through Wuhan”, the Chinese city at the centre of the deadly outbreak, was described as “well.”

“We know that since the patient has been on French soil they have had contact with a dozen people, we are going to contact them.”

She said she had only just received information on the second case and was not yet in a position to make it public.

“You have to treat an epidemic as you treat a fire, quickly to locate the source” and “contain it as quickly as possible,” Buzyn added.

The previously unknown virus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed hundreds across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

The outbreak emerged in late December in Wuhan, an industrial and transport hub of 11 million people in China’s centre, spreading to several other countries including the United States.

To date the death toll stands at 26.

source: AFP

Trump lauds China’s ‘efforts and transparency’ in tackling viral outbreak Human Rights Watch condemns the Qatari decision that offends migrant workers

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”