First cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the WHO European Region, 24 January to 21 February 2020
Spiteri, Gianfranco
Fielding, James
Diercke, Michaela
Campese, Christine
Enouf, Vincent
Gaymard, Alexandre
Bella, Antonino
Sognamiglio, Paola
Sierra Moros, Maria José
Riutort, Antonio Nicolau
Demina, Yulia V.
Mahieu, Romain
Broas, Markku
Bengnér, Malin
Buda, Silke
Schilling, Julia
Filleul, Laurent
Lepoutre, Agnès
Saura, Christine
Mailles, Alexandra
Levy-Bruhl, Daniel
Coignard, Bruno
Bernard-Stoecklin, Sibylle
Behillil, Sylvie
van der Werf, Sylvie
Valette, Martine
Lina, Bruno
Riccardo, Flavia
Nicastri, Emanuele
Casas, Inmaculada
Larrauri, Amparo
Salom Castell, Magdalena
Pozo, Francisco
Maksyutov, Rinat A.
Martin, Charlotte
Van Ranst, Marc
Bossuyt, Nathalie
Siira, Lotta
Sane, Jussi
Tegmark-Wisell, Karin
Palmérus, Maria
Broberg, Eeva K.
Beauté, Julien
Jorgensen, Pernille
Bundle, Nick
Pereyaslov, Dmitriy
Adlhoch, Cornelia
Pukkila, Jukka
Pebody, Richard
Olsen, Sonja
Ciancio, Bruno Christian
In the WHO European Region, COVID-19 surveillance was implemented 27 January 2020. We detail the first European cases. As at 21 February, nine European countries reported 47 cases. Among 38 cases studied, 21 were linked to two clusters in Germany and France, 14 were infected in China. Median case age was 42 years; 25 were male. Late detection of the clusters' index cases delayed isolation of further local cases. As at 5 March, there were 4,250 cases.
