Brazil – Guyana’s southern neighbour confirms first case of Coronavirus
The Brazilian government confirmed its first case of the fast-spreading new coronavirus in Latin America, officials from the Brazil Health Ministry said Wednesday.
The victim, a 61-year-old, recently visited Italy and was flagged by a Sao Paulo hospital after displaying the symptoms associated with the deadly virus.
The diagnosis comes during Brazil’s carnival holiday, a peak time for domestic travel when millions of revellers throng to major cities for raucous street celebrations.
Brazil is tracking 20 suspected cases of the virus in the country, health officials told reporters at a news briefing Wednesday.
Brazil’s Health Ministry said in a statement, on Tuesday, that it was looking into the case of a Sao Paulo resident who had travelled to Lombardy, in Northern Italy, from February 09 – 21 and had symptoms compatible with the disease.
Italy has been hardest hit by the outbreak in Europe, with more than 350 cases reported and 11 deaths.
The Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo said that the man tested positive to a PCR real time test on Monday and it notified Sao Paulo state’s epidemiological agency on Tuesday. The patient is said to be in good health and will be monitored in isolation for the next 14 days.
