Egypt detected late Sunday its second novel coronavirus case after a ‘foreigner’ tested positive for the disease, a joint statement by the health ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) read.
Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said the foreigner was placed in an isolation hospital and was currently receiving needed medical treatment.
Details about the patient’s nationality were not provided.
Megahed said the case is stable, adding that the ministry is currently undertaking necessary preventive measures regarding those who were in contact with the case.
WHO s Representative in Egypt John Jabbour praised the Egyptian government’s transparency and swiftness in dealing with the matter, hailing its keenness on reporting the suspected case to WHO.
The announcement came hours after health minister Hala Zayed said at a press conference in Cairo International Airport ahead of travel to China that 1,443 people had been tested so far, with only one tested positive and later cleared on Thursday following recovery.
In the past weeks, Egypt had upped preventive measures at all entry points nationwide to combat a global outbreak of the China originated disease.
The epidemic has killed over 3,000 people worldwide, with the vast majority in mainland China.
It has infected 88,000 globally, with infections hitting every continent except Antarctica.
