Orgy in Mitte identified as source of infection
District authorities say the overall rate of infections are down though - but the health department remains understaffed.
Berlin-After a "sex party" in Berlin-Mitte, several people became infected with the coronavirus. In its weekly report, the Mitte district administration (Bezirksamt) said that, "infectious contacts have been reported which have the potential for a superspreading event." No further details about the event were released. The district has also said that 34 other institutions and events had been identified as sources of infection, including four schools and five medical practices.
According to the report, 476 contacts to infected people were traced, of which 14 (four percent) tested positive for the sars-CoV-2 virus. A total of 430 tests were carried out. 442 people were quarantined.
A total of 73 new infections - 39 men and 34 women - were reported to Mitte's public health department in the week from 24 to 30 August, eight reported infections less than in the previous week. At least 55 of the newly infected people contracted the virus abroad, 10 in Berlin.
The Bezirksamt report also shows that the Mitte health office was unable to process eight cases and 15 sites in time due to a lack of staff. The affected people were not informed of the test results for between two and four days and could therefore not be quarantined quickly enough. Moreover, since there is no longer a quarantine hostel, two people could not be accommodated.