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16 times more dangerous than the flu: Drosten refers to alarming study
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Fines and upper limits – these are the new Corona rules
Chancellor Angela Merkel is concerned about the current development of the crown. To curb the spread, the federal and state governments discussed stricter measures at the Corona summit, including an upper limit for parties.
Virologist Christian Drosten promotes the use of PCR testing. According to the expert, a study from the United States may shed light on how dangerous the coronavirus really is.
reVirologist Christian Drosten has highlighted the reliability of PCR tests for the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. In view of claims on social media that the tests are often false positives and sometimes only detect fragments of the virus, the virologist at the Berlin Charité said on Tuesday: “Without a complete virus genome, there is no virus residue “.
There is also no confusion with other viruses like other cold viruses and coronaviruses, he added on NDR’s podcast “The Coronavirus Update.” “The PCR is beyond doubt.” The procedure offers “a very accurate diagnosis.”
When conducting a test for coronavirus infection, the so-called PCR method is used, which stands for polymerase chain reaction. This virus detection method, developed in Germany, is still considered the “gold standard”. Using a swab from the patient’s airways, the genetic material of the virus is detected in the laboratory using highly sensitive molecular procedures. Water samples are also occasionally used for gargling. The process is very sensitive and therefore accurate, but time consuming.
In his podcast, Drosten also commented on the high mortality from infection that can be seen with the corona virus. A new meta-analysis from the US, which is available in advance, shows a death rate from infection of 0.8 percent for the US The value quantifies the proportion of people infected with the virus who die from it. of the illness. Drosten explained that mortality in the United States compared to those infected with the flu is 16 times higher.
The death rate increases rapidly with age. According to the study authors, the risk of death for people between 55 and 64 years old from Covid-19 is 200 times greater than that of dying in a traffic accident in one year.
In Germany, mortality from infection could be slightly higher than in the US Because the average age of the population is higher, Drosten believes.
