Egypt says one foreigner tested positive for coronavirus inside the country

Egypt’s health ministry confirmed on Monday that a “foreigner” tested positive for the coronavirus inside the country, according to a joint statement with the World Health Organization (WHO) it posted on Facebook.

Once the “foreigner” was suspected to be infected with the coronavirus, he was tested and based on the positive result he was moved to the quarantine hospital where he is currently receiving the necessary medical care, said Khaled Mujahid, advisor to the minister of health and population for media affairs and the official spokesperson of the ministry.

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Mujahid added that the Egyptian authorities informed WHO and is taking “extreme preventative measures” by testing everyone who came into contact with the patient.

This is the second case of coronavirus detected in Egypt, Mujahid said, stressing that the first one has recovered and was released from the hospital.

France said on Friday six travelers returning from Egypt had been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and Canada reported a case of an 80-year-old man who had “travel history to Egypt”.

Egypt said on Saturday it is testing staff at the site where tourists later diagnosed with the novel coronavirus had stayed before returning to France.