Coronavirus: Senegal's health ministry confirms first case

The first case of the deadly coronavirus has been confirmed in Senegal, the second in sub-Saharan Africa after one was confirmed in Nigeria last week.

As of Monday, there have been over 89,000 cases of the virus globally, the majority in China, according to a Reuters tally. Outside of China, it has spread to 66 countries, with more than 8,800 cases and 130 deaths. Globally, the illness has killed over 3,000 people.

The infected patient is a Senegal-based French national who recently returned from a skiing holiday in France on Feb. 26 on an Air Senegal flight, Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr told reporters.

The minister informed that the patient had earlier passed temperature check at the airport but developed a fever two days later and went to a private clinic for a check-up.

That clinic alerted the authorities who have quarantined him in Dakar’s Fann Hospital.

While the Senegalese authorities are tracking down the other passengers on the Air Senegal flight, the minister said that he has been in contact with his wife and two children.

Reuters also reported that Senegal has one of the 26 labs in Africa that can test for the virus.

People have been advised to wash their hands while masked health officials conduct temperature checks at the airport while others film arriving passengers.

North African countries Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt have also confirmed cases of the virus.

Reuters