INFOS ZUM CORONAVIRUS – ENGLISCH

What is coronavirus?

There are many different kinds of coronavirus (CoV). Known types of coronavirus include:

• SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which was first detected in 2003;
• MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which first occurred in humans in 2012.

In humans, certain types of coronavirus can cause illnesses ranging from a common cold to severe pneumonia. Other types of coronavirus can cause a variety of infectious diseases in animals. Some types of coronavirus can be transmitted from animals to humans.

The novel coronavirus identified in China in late 2019 was never before detected in humans.

On 11 February 2020, WHO assigned the official name COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) to this disease. The designation for the pathogen (germ) was changed from 2019-nCoV to SARS–CoV-2.

How dangerous is the novel coronavirus?

This is not yet clear. Similar to seasonal influenza, it affects in particular elderly persons and persons with a weakened immune system.

How contagious is the novel coronavirus?

Person-to-person spreading is the most frequent path of infection with coronavirus SARS–CoV-2. Contagion can be caused by:

• Mucus and saliva
• Urine and faeces
• Body fluids like for example blood

What are the symptoms of the COVID-19 disease?

When persons are infected with already better-known coronaviruses, the course of the illness is usually mild and without symptoms. In case of the novel COVID-19 disease, too, there occur infections without symptoms or with a mild course and symptoms of a common cold. Indications of a severe infection with the novel coronavirus SARS–CoV-2 include for example:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Breathing difficulties

In more severe cases, infection with the novel coronavirus SARS–CoV-2 can cause pneumonia or severe breathing difficulties.

What are the signs of suspected COVID-19 disease?

The disease is suspected in the following cases:

• A person presents mild or severe symptoms of the COVID-19 disease
  and
• the person had close contact, within a period of up to 14 days before the onset of the symptoms, with a person who was confirmed as suffering from the COVID-19 disease or who has probably contracted the COVID-19 disease
  or
• the person stayed, within a period of up to 14 days before the onset of the symptoms, in a region where SARS–CoV-2 was and still is transmitted: China, Italy, South Korea, Iran, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore (as of 10 March 2020)
  or
• the person worked, within a period of up to 14 days before the onset of the symptoms, in a healthcare facility where patients with COVID-19 infection were or are treated, or the person visited such a healthcare facility.

What does „close contact“ mean?

• Staying in the same place as an infected person, for example: classroom, workplace, home or household, hospital or other healthcare facility, other residential facility, army barracks or holiday camp. The length of stay is not important.
• Providing care or assistance in the capacity of healthcare worker or family member to a person probably or definitely infected with SARS–CoV-2.

How is the novel coronavirus treated?

At the moment, no vaccine is yet available against the COVID-19 disease. Treatment is symptomatic, which means by suitably supporting the body functions in the healing process and by relieving the symptoms.

How can I protect myself against coronavirus?

As with seasonal influenza, the following measures are recommended:

• Wash your hands several times a day with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand disinfectant.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a paper tissue or the crook of your arm whenever you cough or sneeze. Do not cover your mouth and nose with your hands whenever you cough or sneeze. Dispose of paper tissues promptly by throwing them in the trash and then wash your hands. Do not throw paper tissues in the bin for wastepaper recycling.
• Avoid direct contact with persons who are ill, irrespective of the disease.

What happens if I had contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus?

Persons in Austria who have tested positive for coronavirus are asked by the Public Health Services (Municipal Department 15) about the persons in Vienna with whom they were in contact. The persons thus mentioned will be contacted by the Public Health Services (Municipal Department 15). For your safety, you will be quarantined at home and then must observe your health status. This means that you must regularly take your temperature and watch out for symptoms of influenza such as coughing. You must communicate your health status daily to the Public Health Services (Municipal Department 15) until your quarantine at home can be terminated.

I think that I may be infected with coronavirus. What should I do? What happens now?

The health hotline („Gesundheitstelefon“) is staffed around the clock, seven days a week. Call the health hotline 1450 in the following cases:

• You present symptoms of a cold or pneumonia
  and
• you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus
  or
• you have visited a region where SARS–CoV-2 was and still is transmitted: China, Italy (regions: Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto), South Korea, Iran, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore (as of 26 February 2020)
  or
• you have worked in a healthcare facility where patients with COVID-19 infection were or are treated, or you have visited such a healthcare facility.

What does „close contact“ mean?

• Staying in the same place as an infected person, for example: classroom, workplace, home or household, hospital or other healthcare facility, other residential facility, army barracks or holiday camp.
• Providing care or assistance in the capacity of healthcare worker or family member to a person probably or definitely infected with SARS–CoV-2.

Tell the health hotline operator on the phone

• where and when you visited a region where SARS–CoV-2 was or is transmitted, and
• which symptoms you present and when these symptoms first occurred.

The medically trained specialised personnel of the health hotline 1450 will clarify on the phone whether you might actually be infected with coronavirus.

If you are not in danger of being infected, you can consult your family doctor.

You will be told whether you must stay at home and will be given further instructions. It is important that you follow these instructions closely.

What will happen if I am suspected of being infected with coronavirus?

If it is suspected that you might have contracted coronavirus SARS–CoV-2, the emergency medical service („Ärztefunkdienst„) will visit you at your home. Its team is on call around the clock, seven days a week. The protective equipment of the test team is provided by the Vienna Hospital Association (KAV).

You will be tested for the SARS–CoV-2 virus. A nasopharyngeal (nose and throat) swab will be taken for this purpose. The samples are collected by the Public Health Services (Municipal Department 15) and evaluated three times a day by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). AGES submits the findings to Municipial Department 15 and to the emergency medical service („Ärztefunkdienst„). Medical findings are available after 48 hours at the latest.

If your test was negative, you have not been infected with coronavirus SARS–CoV-2. In this case, the emergency medical service will inform you directly.

If your test was positive, you have been infected with coronavirus SARS–CoV-2. In this case, you will be contacted by the Public Health Services (Municipal Department 15). The severity of your infection will decide whether you will be admitted to a hospital or quarantined at home. If you need a notification of illness for your employer or a medical prescription, do not see your family doctor. The emergency medical service is authorised to issue notifications of illness and medical prescriptions. Avoid any contact with other people, since you might infect and hence endanger them.

General advice on international travel

The Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (Austrian Foreign Ministry) classifies the safety and security situation in different countries.

Currently there are several travel warnings in effect, concerning regions and countries all over the world with a high spread of Covid-19.

The Federal Ministry lists all travel warnings (in German) on its website.

Further information

• Daily updated information provided by the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection

General information regarding transmission, symptoms and prevention of coronavirus is provided around the clock by the AGES information hotline 0800 555 621.

If you suspect that you might be infected, please call the health hotline 1450.

Aufgrund der fortschreitenden Ereignisse bittet die Stadtgemeinde Wörgl, sich laufend auf der Homepage der Stadtgemeinde Wörgl unter www.woergl.at zu informieren.

Für die Stadtgemeinde Wörgl: Hedi Wechner