By Abdelrazzak Abdullah
ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - The Algerian Health Ministry on Thursday confirmed the first death from the novel coronavirus.
"Five new infection cases with the novel coronavirus have been recorded, and one of the infected people has died," the ministry said, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 24.
Most of the people contracting COVID-19 belong to a single family that was infected by a relative from France who visited them last month in the Blida province, according to the ministry.
On Feb. 25, Algeria announced its first coronavirus case of an Italian citizen who was later sent back to the home country.
The global death toll from the virus known has surpassed 4,600, with over 124,500 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the coronavirus a global pandemic.
The virus originated in China’s Wuhan city last December and it has reached more than 100 countries so far.
As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, many governments closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries.
*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat