1st coronavirus case confirmed in Belgium

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – Belgium has confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in its territory, local media reported on Tuesday. The patient is one of nine Belgian citizens who were evacuated from Wuhan, China on Sunday.

The repatriated were immediately quarantined and tested for coronavirus in a military hospital close to Brussels. Only one of them was diagnosed positive and was transferred to the capital's St Peter’s Hospital.

“Other infections can’t arise from this case. The patient is isolated, will be quarantined for two weeks and recover in a few days," virologist Marc Van Ranst told Belgian media outlet VRT Nieuws.

The death toll from coronavirus -- the epidemic that originated from Wuhan last December -- has risen to 425, with more than 20,000 confirmed cases.

Besides China, the virus has spread to more than 20 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.

Many nations have evacuated their citizens from Wuhan and other affected areas of China, placing them in isolated medical care.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international emergency.