Cameroon confirms first coronavirus case

Cameroon has confirmed its first case of coronavirus after a 58-year-old French national who had arrived in the capital, Yaounde on February 24, tested positive.

It is also the first known case in central African and the latest in sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.

Dr Manaouda Malachie, the country’s minister for public health, in a statement on Friday, said the patient had been quarantined at the Yaounde Central Hospital.

“Active surveillance measures put in place by the country since the occurrence of the Covid-19 has made it possible to detect this case,” said Dr Malachie, adding that “all measures are being taken by the government to contain the possible risks of the spread of the virus.”

The statement said the minister will grant a press conference “as soon as possible” to shed more light on the case.

The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in Chinese city of Wuhan in December, has killed more than 3,000 people and infected nearly 100,000 others globally.