Germany: No reason for alarmism over China virus outbreak - govt spokesperson

W/S Federal Press Conference, Berlin
M/S Spokespersons
M/S Sign
SOT, Hanno Kautz, German Health Ministry spokesperson (German): ”He [Jens Spahn, German Health Minister] also said that we are watching the situation carefully but there is no reason for alarmism now. This virus is less dangerous than SARS, for example, and there is no reason for alarmism because we are well prepared. And we have the possibility of diagnosis and reaction. And that is what I meant while commenting on the possible WHO decision. We have prepared those plans and the resources.”
M/S Journalist *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Hanno Kautz, German Health Ministry spokesperson (German): "The information and reactions are coordinated by the Robert-Koch-Institute. We organised a coordination centre there. The communication with the international organisation is also managed there and in the end it can be said that the danger for the health of the German population is overall very small."
M/S Press conference in progress
SOT, Steffen Seibert, German government spokesperson (German): ’”One of the important results of the Libyan conference, last Sunday, is that with this conference and the end (inaudible) the work won’t stop. The work is about to start properly if I can say it like this and that a structure has been created, an international committee to follow up consequences, which will come together very soon and with developments that will be watched very closely."
M/S Journalist
SOT, Maria Adebahr, Foreign Ministry spokesperson (German): "We have the military commission, 5+5, which will come together shortly and we will start the political process and we have to keep on working on all follow-up measures. We have now to apply different things to realise those results."
W/S Press conference in progress
W/S Press conference ending
SCRIPT
The German health ministry spokesperson said there was no reason for alarm over the outbreak of an unknown virus in the Wuhan province of China, during the weekly Federal Press Conference in Berlin on Monday.
"There is no reason for alarmism because we are well prepared and we have the possibility of diagnosis and reaction," said Hanno Kautz.
An outbreak of a respiratory illness caused by a newly emerging coronavirus was reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December. Nine people have died and 440 have been infected by the coronavirus, according to China's National Health Commission.