French virus patients flown to German hospital

Germany's southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg is opening its hospitals to patients from neighbouring eastern France where authorities are struggling with a surge of coronavirus cases.

It's offered assistance to France because hospitals there don't have enough intensive care unit beds.

On Saturday a helicopter was seen transporting two French coronavirus patients to University Hospital Freiburg in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Authorities have asked all hospitals in Baden-Wuerttemberg with free capacity to take in French patients requiring ventilators.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.