ALGIERS

Algeria confirmed a new death from the novel coronavirus on Saturday, taking the total fatalities to three, according to the country's health ministry.

A ministry statement said a 51-year-old woman from Blida province, south of Algiers, had died from the virus.

The ministry said ten more cases have been reported, taking the total infections to 37.

According to the statement, 12 people have been discharged from the hospital after recovering from the disease.

On Feb. 25, Algeria reported the first case of coronavirus of an Italian citizen.

After emerging in Wuhan, China, in December, the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 has spread to at least 129 countries and territories.

The global death toll is now over 5,400, with more than 142,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a “pandemic".

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara