The Latest: Germany quarantines all in 2 high-rise buildings
German health officials have quarantined the residents of two high-rise buildings in the western town of Velbert after several people tested positive with the coronavirus variant that was first detected to India and has led to a huge outbreak there
May 18, 2021, 8:42 AM
12 min read
FILE - In this May 14, 2021, file photo, signs instruct visitors on the proper way to wear masks at the Universal City Walk in Universal City, Calif. California is keeping its rules for wearing facemasks in place until the state more broadly lifts its pandemic restrictions on June 15. State officials said Monday, May 17 that the delay will give people time to prepare, and for the state to make sure that virus cases stay low. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
BERLIN — Health officials say they have quarantined the residents of two high-rise buildings in the western German town of Velbert after several people tested positive with the coronavirus variant first detected to India.
Officials from the county of Mettmann said “there are currently several infections with the Indian virus variant in Velbert.”
They said several families who were in close touch with each other were affected and that everyone was being tested. Local broadcaster WDR reported about 200 people in the two buildings were affected. They have been quarantined, are getting tested and the Red Cross is providing food and other help.
So far, the COVID-19 variant that was first detected in India has not been found a lot in Germany, but is said to be more contagious than other variants currently more prevalent in Germany.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— Clinic helps long-haul patients in London neighborhoods where COVID-19 hit hard
— India reports record day of virus deaths as cases of infection level off
— Virus testing strategies, opinions vary widely in US schools
— Joy over the U.K.'s measured reopening is tempered by worries over the variant from India
— Follow more of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan reported 240 cases of domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths Tuesday.
It was lower than Monday’s 333 cases but continues to be the island’s worst outbreak of the pandemic, with more than 1,000 cases discovered in about a week. Now, more than 600,000 people are in medical isolation for two weeks, as the island seeks to stop transmission of the virus.
Island-wide, schools will be shut for two weeks starting Wednesday, the minister of education said on Tuesday at a daily news briefing.
The island has recorded 14 deaths and 2,260 cases in total and has been lauded for its success in curbing the spread of the virus despite close ties with China, where COVID-19 first emerged in late 2019.
President Tsai Ing-wen spoke about the island’s handling of the current outbreak during a visit to the Central Epidemic Command Center Tuesday morning.
She assured people vaccines purchased abroad will arrive and that domestic development of a vaccine was progressing.
And she said several quarantine centers were being added to care for patients with mild or no symptoms. “We will continue to strengthen our medical capacity.”
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NEW DELHI — India’s total virus cases since the pandemic began swept past 25 million as the country registered more than 260,000 new cases and a record 4,329 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
The numbers reported Tuesday follow a trend of falling cases after infections dipped below 300,000 for the first time in weeks a day earlier.
Active cases in the country also decreased by more than 165,000 on Tuesday — the biggest dip in weeks. But deaths have continued to rise and hospitals are still swamped by patients.
India has recorded nearly 280,000 virus deaths since the pandemic began. Both the number of deaths and total reported cases are thought to be vast undercounts.
