Isha Sesay
A GERMAN family of four has tested positive for coronavirus after returning from their holiday in Mallorca.
The father was ordered to take a routine test at his workplace following his vacation and the positive result was revealed.
The three other family members, including two children aged eight and 14, were then tested, with all of them being diagnosed with COVID-19.
All are reported to be asymptomatic and are being isolated at their home.
The family reside in Cottbus, a small village near Berlin, which has been coronavirus-free for more than three months.
Cottbus City Council has since released a statement to explain that it is now tracking potential contacts and tracing the chain of infection in order to determine the source of the virus.
For this reason, the Cottbus health department has contacted the airline with which the family travelled as well as the Spanish authorities.
“It is not yet clear where these four people contracted the virus, although they did return to their hometown on Sunday after enjoying a holiday in Mallorca,” said official spokesman Jan Globmann.
In response to the diagnoses, health expert of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Karl Lauterbach, has asked all Germans who holiday in Mallorca to take a COVID-19 test upon their return.
“This is the only way we can recognise the source of infection and reduce the spread,” said Lauterbach.
He went on to detail the repercussions of more infections in Germany and the possibility of enforcing a quarantine after citizens return from Spain.
Meanwhile, the Balearic Government say they have not yet received any information from the Centre for the Coordination of Alerts and Health Emergencies (CCAES) about the German family.
According to the Ministry of Health, the German health authorities must get in contact with the CCAES so that they can initiate the COVID-19 protocol and carry out a contact study.
President Francina Armengol assured that her government is working to ‘have more entry controls to the islands and better tracking systems,’ to better manage the health crisis.
It comes as four more outbreaks of coronavirus were detected in the Balearic Islands this week, which have been seen as a factor in the surge in cancellations from tourists.
According to the Hotel Chain Association (ACH), hotels registered more cancellations than stays in July with a proportion of hoteliers considering closing next month.
As well as a general fear of contracting the virus, the ACH believe the order to wear face masks has put holidaymakers off visiting the Balearic Islands.
