Egypt records first coronavirus death in Africa

Egypt's health ministry said that a German man died in the country due to the coronavirus. It is the first confirmed death on the African continent linked to the virus.

According to a statement that was posted on Facebook, Egypt's health ministry said on Sunday that the 60-year-old year man arrived from Germany one week ago. After visiting Luxor in Egypt, he traveled to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. He was hospitalized there after developing a fever.

The ministry added that the man refused to be moved into isolation and died of respiratory failure. The hospital was sterilized and sanitized after his death, in keeping with World Health Organization guidelines.

Egypt has reported 55 coronavirus cases, most of which are linked to an outbreak on a Nile cruise ship in Luxor. Hala Zayed, Egypt's health minister, told the media on Saturday that 33 new cases were recorded aboard the cruise ship on the Nile River in Luxor, southern Egypt.

Egypt currently has the highest number of coronavirus cases in Africa followed by Algeria. According to the Africa Center for Disease Control, or Africa CDC, Algeria has 20 cases, Senegal has fourcases, South Africa has three cases, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia and Cameroon have two cases each and Togo has one case.