Ethiopia confirms first coronavirus case

By Seleshi Tessema and Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Ethiopia on Friday reported the first coronavirus case in the country.

“We confirm that a Japanese man who is 48 years of age, has tested positive for the virus. This is the first case in Ethiopia,” Liya Kebede, Ethiopia’s health minister, said in a news briefing.

“The Japanese man arrived in Ethiopia from Burkina Faso last week, and he is now receiving medical treatment,” Liya said, adding: “He is in good condition.”

She said they are identifying people who were in close contact with the patient.

According to her, the country is prepared to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 123 countries and territories.

The global death toll is now nearly 5,000, with more than 132,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which has declared the outbreak a “pandemic.”