A high number of unreported cases of infections with SARS-CoV-2 in copper cells found

Kupferzell - A study by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in the Baden-Württemberg municipality of Kupferzell on the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus shows the effectiveness of the measures against the pandemic. The fact that no active infections have recently been found shows that it is possible to "interrupt the infection", said RKI Vice President Lars Schaade today at the presentation of the representative examination.

It was in Kupferzell in the weeks After church concert on March 1, there were more than 100 known cases of infection, three victims had died. In March, with 517 corona cases, the place was one of the main centers of infection in Baden-Württemberg.

In that Place in the Hohenlohe region with 6,000 inhabitants, between May and June 2203 representatively selected adults were interviewed and tested for SARS-CoV-2 with swabs and blood samples. During the investigation, no active infections were found, but 3.9 times more infections were detected than previously known.

After examining the antibodies, 7.7 percent of those tested had been infected. Of these, almost 17 percent had not felt any of the typical symptoms. Conversely, no antibodies were detected in the blood in 28.2 percent of the known cases. However, this says nothing about immunity, underlined the scientists involved.

The collected data is currently still further evaluated together with the Charité in Berlin and, together with nine other regional studies that are currently still being carried out, are to be incorporated into an overall picture that is intended to provide further information about distribution paths and risk factors for dissemination.

Overall, the Study that the measures of the health authorities in March were also effective in hotspot like Kupferzell, said Schaade. Even with high number of infections, only part of the population is affected, and it is possible to contain the spread.

In its study "Corona Monitoring Local", the RKI is investigating not only copper cells but also the infection process in three others Hot spots. In total, the data will be collected from 8,000 people.