Tunisia has confirmed the first fatal case of coronavirus, a 72-year-old woman who died on Thursday night in hospital after being transferred from her home in the eastern resort city of Sousse.
She had travelled home from Turkey four days ago and was suffering from other unspecified chronic illnesses, the health ministry in a statement said.
The elderly woman was in self-isolation at her home, but her poor health necessitated her transfer to hospital where positive laboratory tests were confirmed, it said.
She died on the same day that Tunisia's first registered Covid-19 patient was discharged from hospital with a clean bill of health.
The North African nation recorded its first coronavirus case 18 days ago, and now has 39 confirmed cases.
The woman's death raises the toll in Africa to 20. Elsewhere, seven people have died in Egypt, nine in Algeria, two in Morocco, one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso.
The continent as a whole has more than 600 confirmed cases - still fewer than the rest of the world.
Last week, Tunisian officials imposed a mandatory two weeks of self-quarantine for everyone who had recently arrived in the country.
Of the more than 3,000 people in self-isolation in different parts of Tunisia - most of them fall into that category.
The others are contacts of positive cases tracked down by health workers.
Tunisia has closed its airspace and land borders, and has a curfew in place in a bid to control the spread of the virus.
Latest Stories
-
Ecobank Group reports Profit Before Tax of $581m, on net revenue of $2.1bn for 2023
10 seconds -
More businesses are working to move out of Ghana – Food and Beverages Association
35 seconds -
Empowering Ghana’s Environmental Narrative: Celebrating World Press Freedom Day 2024
12 mins -
AG hasn’t closed investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s case – Spokesman
13 mins -
Ghana Tourism Authority celebrates ‘Feast Ghana’ on May Day with a Taste of Culture
18 mins -
Fella Makafui gets emotional and teary-eyed reacting to old video with Medikal
30 mins -
Agogo Presby Hospital celebrates staff over zero maternal death record
1 hour -
Ghana isn’t broke to procure high and low-voltage poles – Energy Minister
1 hour -
Appiatse residents handed keys to newly constructed homes
2 hours -
Dumsor: Mahama the only President to superintend ‘dum dum’ for 4 years – Opoku Prempeh
2 hours -
Burnley sign partnership deal with fan-backed scouting platform Nordensa
2 hours -
Akesse Brempong, MOG Music, Afronita, Dope Nation to perform at Nsoromma Season 6 Grand Finale
2 hours -
Hopeson Adorye to form ‘Jail Them’ advocacy group
3 hours -
Shatta Wale once cried and knelt to apologise to Mahama – Dr Lawrence Tetteh
4 hours -
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting photo ID
4 hours