Netherlands confirms first case of coronavirus

Amsterdam: Health authorities here on Thursday confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the European country.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health, in a statement, said that a man who lives in the town of Tilburg had been diagnosed with the virus after traveling to Italy’s Lombardy region a few days ago and was being treated in isolation, Anadolu Agency reported.

“The person had symptoms and was hospitalised and tested,” the health institute said.

The institute said the man was placed in quarantine to prevent the virus from spreading.

Coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to more than 45 other countries including the U.S., U.K., Singapore, Italy, France, Russia, Spain and India.

The global death toll is nearly 2,800, and China, where the outbreak originated, is the worst hit, with more than 78,000 cases and over 2,700 fatalities.

The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak an international health emergency and said the global risk level remains high.