First coronavirus reported in Peru

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - A person in Peru has tested positive for coronavirus, marking the first case of the virus in the country.

The patient is a 25-year-old man who had traveled to Spain, France and the Czech Republic, President Martin Vizcarra announced in a televised statement on Friday.

The patient is hospitalized and stable, he said.

“We have taken the necessary measures through the Health Ministry to provide comprehensive healthcare,” he said, asking people to “keep calm” and trust the Peruvian health system.

The new coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, last December and has now spread to more than 80 countries.

The global death toll is nearing 3,500, with around 100,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO, which had declared the outbreak an international health emergency, recently updated the global risk level to “very high”.