Morocco confirms 2nd death from coronavirus

RABAT

Morocco confirmed a second death from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, according to the health ministry.

A 75-year-old man from Sale city in north-western Morocco had died from the disease, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said a Moroccan national in Casablanca who recently visited France was infected with the virus, taking the total infections in the country to 38.

On Sunday, Moroccan authorities created a $1 billion fund to upgrade health facilities and help the country's economic sectors in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The disease, known as COVID-19, emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 146 countries and territories. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Out of over 183,500 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 7,100, while more than 79,900 have recovered, according to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers.

The current number of active cases is more than 96,500, with 94% in mild condition and 6% in critical condition.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara