QUERETARO, Mexico
Argentina announced Tuesday its first confirmed case of coronavirus.
Health Minister Gines Gonzalez García said a 43-year-old male was detected after a trip to Italy, where that country is experiencing a major outbreak.
The patient arrived in Argentina on March 1.
“This is an imported case, and the man has intensely collaborated with authorities. He is being hospitalized and luckily his diagnosis is of mild complexity,” he said.
The government assured the public that it has protocols and is prepared for the coronavirus.
Brazil was the first country in South America to report a case of coronavirus, but more countries in Latin America, such as Ecuador and Mexico now have cases.
The virus, officially known as COVID-19. was first detected in Wuhan, China, in Hubei province in December. It has spread to at least 73 countries.
The global death toll from the virus has reached 3,044, with more than 88,000 infected.
About 9% of cases worldwide were determined to be grave, according to a report by the Mexican government.
