Coronavirus in Africa: Morocco reports first death as the overall number of new infections rises to three

An 89-year-old Moroccan woman has become the country's first coronavirus fatality.

According to the health ministry, the dead patient arrived from Italy’s Bologna to Casablanca. Prior to her death, she suffered from respiratory and heart diseases.

This death comes as Morocco reports its third confirmed case of the virus, officially known as COVID-19. The latest patient is a French tourist who came into the North African country on March 7, 2020.

Countries and territories with confirmed cases of coronavirus and deaths as of March 3, 0500 GMT. AFP

Making an official statement, the health ministry announced that the patient sought medical attention the following day after suffering respiratory difficulties.

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After testing positive for the virus at Morocco’s Pasteur Institute, the ministry said the unnamed patient is currently in a stable condition in hospital in Marrakech.

Following the country's first death and third confirmed cases of COVID-19, Morocco has cancelled all trips to and from Italy.

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Citizens have been banned from attending football matches, events involving foreign travellers and gatherings of over 1,000 people.

Health authorities are also tracking anyone who may have had direct contact with the 104 passengers who were on the first patient’s flight from Italy to Morocco.

Coronavirus in Africa

As of March 9, 2020, there are over 90 confirmed cases in Africa with most of them in Egypt according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Africa's first death from the virus was recorded in Egypt after an infected 60-year-old German tourist passed away.

Right now, ten African countries Algeria, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Senegal, Tunisia, Togo, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria and Morocco have reported nearly 100 cases.

Across the world, there are 115,977 confirmed coronavirus cases and the global death toll has passed the 4,000 mark.