Coronavirus: First case to test positive in Basel-Stadt, second case to test positive outside of the canton

The first positive case of the coronavirus in the Canton of Basel-Stadt has been reported. The young woman fell ill when she returned to work after visiting Milan. A test conducted at the University Hospital of Basel on a young man who does not reside in the canton has been confirmed as the second positive case this evening. The reference test from the laboratory in Geneva is still pending for both cases.

The young lady from the Canton of Basel-Stadt is doing well given the circumstances. She is currently being treated in isolation at the University Hospital of Basel. The test results from the reference laboratory in Geneva are still pending. Since she looks after children and toddlers and works for a daycare facility in Riehen, she came into contact with a lot of children. The Department of Health Basel-Stadt is therefore carrying out extensive investigations at her place of work and social environment.

The nursery usually looks after around 100 children at its daycare centre. Because of the holidays, not all of the children were attending the daycare centre when the respective childminder was at work.

The parents have been informed so that they know what to do and are prepared in case their children/child show/s signs of any symptoms. The children must now be quarantined for 14 days. The parents also have to know what information they will need to give to the medical staff if their child falls ill so as to prevent the virus spreading any further.

Further to this initial confirmed case of a resident from Basel-Stadt, a test conducted at the University Hospital of Basel on a young man who does not reside in the canton has been confirmed as positive this evening. Here too we are awaiting the test results from the reference laboratory in Geneva. We do know that the young man was in Milan together with the childminder and some other people.