Coronavirus In Iceland: Three Confirmed, 300 Quarantined

A woman in her forties was diagnosed last night with the COVID-19 virus, also known as coronavirus, RÚV reports. Currently quarantined in her own home, she arrived in the country with an Icelandair flight from Munich, but had been skiing in northern Italy. This is the third Icelander to be diagnosed with the virus.

According to the health coordination center, a man in his fifties was the second who was reported to have the virus. The prognosis for both people looks fine, but they show typical symptoms for the disease. Everyone who has been diagnosed with the virus resides in the capital area, but about 300 people are now quarantined in their homes.

Viðir Reynisson, Superintendent of the National Commissioner of Police, says they have not yet caught up with the other passengers on the Munich flight. Their first priority is to speak with the other passengers who came in from Verona. Then their emphasis will be placed on speaking to those who sat in the two rows in front and behind the woman who was diagnosed yesterday.

The Directorate of Health, in conjunction with the Civil Defense and Civil Service of the Foreign Ministry, has defined Italy as a high risk area. However, only Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna have a high number of cases. Germany, on the other hand, is not a defined risk zone, so there is no need to quarantine the passengers who came from Munich with Icelandair yesterday, except those who came from Italy. The Civil Protection and Epidemiology INvestigation team will contact all the passengers and inform them of the key facts related to the virus and personal hygiene.

On Friday, the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Iceland. A man in his forties is quarantined at the Landspítali Infectious Disease Department in Fossvogur, having arrived in the country on February 22nd.