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Egypt announces coronavirus case, the first in Africa

Egypt has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, also the first known infection on the continent of Africa.
Coronavirus spreads to Africa
Coronavirus spreads to Africa

The patient — who is not from Egypt — did not show any symptoms of being ill.

Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Mugahed said in a statement on Friday that the affected person was a "foreigner" who did not show any serious symptoms.

Authorities have notified the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO Egypt confirmed the news on its Twitter. 

Officially known as COVID-19, the virus was first detected in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province in central China, in December last year. 

It has so far killed almost 1,400 people and infected nearly 65,000 others globally. 

Three deaths have been recorded outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong, one in the Philippines and the most recent in Japan.

More than two dozen countries have confirmed cases and several nations have evacuated their citizens from Hubei. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned the virus poses a "grave threat" to the world.

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