Ivory Coast confirms first case of COVID-19

Ivory Coast has recorded its first case of the flu-like Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The case was reported in the capital Abidjan.

The country becomes the eight in the region to record a case after Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Cameroon, DR Congo and South Africa.

The affected patient is a 45-year-old Ivorian man, officials have disclosed.

The government has called for calm stressing preparedness for the disease.

Ivory Coast in January was the first country on the continent to record a suspected case, which turned out negative.

The country, like many others, received testing capacity from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to worldometers.info, hosted by the American Library Association, more than 124,775 cases have so far been recorded 121 countries and territories.

There have been 4,855 deaths and 67,050 recovered cases.