March 14. Situation of the COVID-19 epidemics in France.
ECAS 2020 April 5-7 Postponed

The epidemics of COVID-19 is progressing fast and the number of patients tested doubled within the last 72 hours to reach 4500 persons according to the Ministry of Health which gives every evening a report of the situation. Ninety one patients died and 900 are hospitalized including 304 in the intensive care units. The new information is that the mean age of persons tested positive is 54 years and half of the patients are aged less than 60 years of age. These numbers do not take into account the patients with no or mild symptoms who are not tested and are advised to stay home.

The Prime Minister appeared unexpectedly at the television at 7:30PM to address the population with the following recommendations and new measures. The schools, colleges and Universities will be closed starting Monday March 16. In addition, all non-essential shops and businesses should remain closed. The theatres, cafés, restaurants should close starting March 14 24h (Midnight) until further announcement. Only the pharmacies, food stores, tobacco shops and fuel stations are allowed to open. This adds to the interdiction of meetings above 100 persons staring March 13 noon.

In this situation, ECAS 2020 is obviously postponed until we have more visibility on the situation for the months to come. On the advice of our Friends and Colleagues from various countries this situation was anticipated. The Board of ECAS was unanimously in favor of this decision. This decision was reinforced by the information received from a number of colleagues and Faculty particularly from the USA and Canada and also from Europe (Italy, Netherlands, Belgium) that they may cancel their participation following the recommendation or even the obligation from their University or their Hospital not to travel in the weeks to come with the risk if they break this recommendation to be put in quarantine on their return home. The decisions of President Donald Trump to close the entry of Europeans (except for UK) and of President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, make the cancellation of our Congress a case “de force majeure” a situation that should make easier the reimbursement of engaged expenses. The paid registration fees for ECAS 2020 congress will be transferred to the next ECAS congress or reimbursed on request. The abstracts accepted for presentation will be presented also during next congress which dates will be advertised in due time when the situation will become safe for our participants to attend a congress.

Riccardo Cappato MD President of ECAS

Samuel Lévy, MD President of ECAS 2020 Congress

The number of persons infected found positive to the coronavirus Covid-19 detected because of symptoms or because they were in contact with an infected persons has increased tremendously to reach 949 cases. 336 cases increase within 24hours detected between March 6 to March 7 according to the French Health Authorities despite the efforts to try to contain the diffusion of the virus. Forty five patients are in intensive care units and the number of deaths is 16 deaths 2 more within 24 hours both older than 85 years with comorbidities. All hospitalized patients and systematically tested. The French Authorities are about to declare within next days or weeks the phase 3 of the epidemics that means that the virus is circulating freely within all French territory.

We are following the situation carefully as to the ECAS 2020 Congress planned April 5-7 in Paris. We will keep you informed.

The number of infected persons detected because of symptoms or contact with a person found to be positive to the coronavirus is 423 persons in France , a significant increase compared to yesterday March 5. Since le first contaminated person in France 7 deaths occurred. A total of 113 patients died in Europe so far including (107 in Italy) out of 4290 confirmed positive persons. In France 6 areas of clusters exist.

We are carefully evaluating the situation regarding the safety of holding our congress for the participants to our congress. We will keep you informed of the progression of virus and its consequences. In our decision the priority will be of course the security for our participants in regard of the propagation of the virus particularly in Paris area where the congress in planned to take place

2.Update on the situation of the coronavirus Covid-19 in France (March 5, 2020)

The French Government is taking its decisions based on the advise of a group of Scientists and Medical Experts and Health Authorities evaluating current day by day the propagation of the virus and its consequences. At present the epidemics in France is in phase 2 in which measures taken are designed to limit the propagation of the virus.

Since last evaluation March 3 another cluster of the virus was detected among approximately 1000 persons who attended the religious service in an Evangelist Church in 2 villages close to Mulhouse a where 17 new cases were found positive to the virus. The church was closed. In these areas schools, churches and all areas were the people meet (theaters, movies theatre were closed until March 15 and other necessary measures to secure the diffusion of the infection. The total number of detected cases today is 257 cases, 10 of them hospitalized in intensive care and the others are isolated and treated in dedicated hospital wards or confined and treated at home. Reassuring information are also given such as 98% of infected patients recover and survive the disease. In France 4 patients died since the beginning of this epidemics, 1more since ( March 3 a 92 year old man with comorbidities).

The spokeswoman of the Government this morning (March 5) said that the Government has no in tension to cancel or limit meetings of less than 5000 persons, nor forbid travels except in infected areas.

Based on these information we continue to work on the organization of the congress which will be held on March 5-7 in Paris as planned respecting the measures already described to avoid contamination. Other updates will follow.

However we are following the evolution carefully until March 15 not only in France but also in other countries as our congress is a global one.

Update on the situation of the coronavirus Covid-19 in France (March 5, 2020)

The French Government is taking its decisions based on the advise of a group of Scientists and Medical Experts and Health Authorities evaluating current day by day the propagation of the virus and its consequences. At present the epidemics in France is in phase 2 in which measures taken are designed to limit the propagation of the virus.

Since last evaluation March 3 another cluster of the virus was detected among approximately 1000 persons who attended the religious service in an Evangelist Church in 2 villages close to Mulhouse a where 17 new cases were found positive to the virus. The church was closed. In these areas schools, churches and all areas were the people meet (theaters, movies theatre were closed until March 15 and other necessary measures to secure the diffusion of the infection. The total number of detected cases today is 257 cases, 10 of them hospitalized in intensive care and the others are isolated and treated in dedicated hospital wards or confined and treated at home. Reassuring information are also given such as 98% of infected patients recover and survive the disease. In France 4 patients died since the beginning of this epidemics, 1more since ( March 3 a 92 year old man with comorbidities).

The spokeswoman of the Government this morning (March 5) said that the Government has no in tension to cancel or limit meetings of less than 5000 persons, nor forbid travels except in infected areas.

Based on these information we continue to work on the organization of the congress which will be held on March 5-7 in Paris as planned respecting the measures already described to avoid contamination. Other updates will follow.

However we are following the evolution carefully until March 15 not only in France but also in other countries as our congress is a global one.

Information regarding the coronavirus epidemics and situation in France (Covid-19)

In France as to date (March 3 2020) 191 patients are contaminated by the virus (with a positive test) Most of them are doing well and are isolated or hospitalized 10 in intensive care unit because of pneumonia or respiratory problems. These patients are originating from 3 areas of France: Oise department, Morbihan (Brittany) and Haute Savoie (Alpes region). Three deaths occurred in France: a visitor from China, a 60 year old man in an area where there is a Military airport where planes went to bring back French citizens from China who were find all with negative test and were observed in quarantine. None developed the disease. The 3th death is an 89 year old woman with comorbidities.

The Health French Authorities are advertising measures that may help contain the propagation of the virus (see insertion) and are limiting only the events occurring in closed environments involving 5000 persons or more as these events in any case need to be declared and obtain approval from the French Governmental Authorities.

The preparation of ECAS is progressing very well and we have no reason to cancel the congress and are following the instructions of the French Government guided by Medical Experts in the field. We are following carefully the situation.

Of note the Soccer match between Lyon and Juventus of Turin (IT) with 3000 persons coming from Italy, the carnival of Nice, La Fête du Citron in Menton have taken place recently. There is no reason that ECAS cannot take place. But we are following the situation is France carefully and will provide other updates

Measures that can limit the virus propagation:

Wash your hands frequently using soap or alcoholic solutions
If you cough or sneeze do it with the elbow protection
Use paper tissue and put it in the garbage
Avoid to shake hands, hug or kiss the people you meet
Avoid the meetings in a closed atmosphere
If you are ill (Wear a surgical mask) and contact by telephone using number 15 medical services organized for this epidemics
When talking with someone keep a distance of 1m or more as the contamination is done by saliva droplets.