Reactions to the coronavirus outbreak People in the region and in Bonn stock up on supplies

Bonn · The suspicion that a patient from the Rhein-Sieg district might have become infected with the coronavirus seems to have caused uncertainty among many people in the region and in Bonn – despite the fact that the patient was not infected as latest information showed. Supermarkets confirm that more durable food and hygiene products were sold. In Bonn, the situation is different.

 In the Bonn region, more supplies were purchased in the past few days. Photo: Benjamin Westhoff

In the Bonn region, more supplies were purchased in the past few days. Photo: Benjamin Westhoff

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the first cases of patients with coronavirus have been confirmed in recent days. The first suspected case was also reported in the Rhein-Sieg district. Even though the district announced on Thursday noon that a possible infection could not be confirmed, people from the region have already reacted to the situation.

As several supermarket chains confirmed on GA inquiry, more supplies such as canned food and water bottles have been sold than usual since Wednesday. According to an employee of a Rewe market in Hennef, significantly more noodles, pulses and rice than usual have been sold there. An Edeka market in Hennef also reports that a conspicuously large quantity of canned foods, water bottles and disinfectants were sold. A Rewe branch in Siegburg cannot confirm that more food is currently being sold than usual, but one employee speaks of conspicuously large quantities of disinfectants and other hygiene products sold.

The customer of an Edeka market in Berkum also describes scenes that correspond with the statements of many supermarkets. On Wednesday evening, many customers in the market were heading for shelves where durable food was stored. He describes that several customers had bought, for example, long-life milk and water in large quantities. Shelves where stews and kitchen towels were stored had also been emptied as far as possible. The situation had been so conspicuous that store employees also spoke of "hamster purchases".

Since the outbreak of the disease in North Rhine-Westphalia, pharmacies have also noticed a different buying behaviour of customers. According to the North Rhine-Westphalian Pharmacists' Association, the demand for face masks as well as surface and hand disinfectants in particular has increased strongly. Masks are hardly available nationwide. The great demand is now also noticeable in terms of prices - on online platforms, some face masks are being sold at exorbitant prices.

Meanwhile, in Bonn, too, there seems to be an increase in "hamster" purchases, as could be observed in some shops since Wednesday. In some grocery stores in the city the shelves were no longer filled as usual on Thursday. Here and there durable food, mineral water and UHT milk had become scarce, but new deliveries were already on the way. A stronger demand for these products has been noticeable since the outbreak of the virus, but is by no means as extreme as in other cities, says Kirsten Mohr, managing owner of the Edeka Mohr Frischecenter on Bornheimer Strasse, and adds: "The supply chains are stable, nobody has to worry about replenishment.

(Original text: Leandra Kubiak and Rüdiger Franz, Translation: Mareike Graepel)

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