Brazil confirms first coronavirus case in Latin America

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Brazil confirmed the first coronavirus case in a male patient in the South American region Wednesday.

"A case of coronavirus is confirmed. The test carried out by the Adolfo Lutz institute gave a positive result. Thus, Brazil has its first confirmed case of the disease," Health Minister Henrique Mandetta told a news conference alongside other officials.

"From now, we are going to see how this virus will behave in the southern hemisphere, in the situation of a tropical country, in the middle of summer. What will the pattern of behavior be? It is a new virus," Mandetta emphasized.

Secretary of State for Health of Sao Paulo Jose Henrique Ferreira said the 61-year-old patient who returned recently from Italy is well and in family isolation at home.

"As soon as the symptoms are over, he will stop being in an isolated patient situation and return to his normal life," Ferreira added.

Brazil has one confirmed coronavirus case, 20 suspected cases and 59 discharged patients who tested negative for the virus, according to the health ministry.

The novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has sounded global alarms, with China reporting around 2,700 deaths from the outbreak, and health experts grappling to find a cure.

Outside mainland China, the coronavirus has spread to more than 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.

The U.S. has reported 53 confirmed cases; 40 were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was traveling in Asia, three were repatriated from China, and 14 were cases originating within U.S. borders.

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