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  World   Oceania  28 Feb 2020  New Zealand confirms first COVID 19 case

New Zealand confirms first COVID 19 case

AFP
Published : Feb 28, 2020, 1:44 pm IST
Updated : Feb 28, 2020, 1:44 pm IST

One person from Iran, who travelled to Auckland via Bali was tested positive

AFP Photo
 AFP Photo

New Zealand confirmed its first coronavirus case Friday, saying a recent arrival from Iran who travelled to Auckland via Bali had tested positive.

Health officials said the person, aged in their 60s, was being treated in Auckland City Hospital.

"They are in an improving condition in isolation, in a negative pressure room to prevent any spread of the disease," the health department said in a statement.

Officials said the person, reportedly a female New Zealand citizen, arrived in Auckland on Wednesday and family members went to the hospital after becoming concerned about the individual's condition.

The officials urged any passengers on Wednesday's final leg of the Emirates airline journey, which goes from Bali to Auckland, to contact authorities if they were concerned.

However, authorities downplayed the risk to the public saying the situation was being well managed.

Lithuania confirms first case

Lithuania confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus in a woman who returned from Italy, the government said on Friday.

The 39-year-old, who returned from Verona, has been isolated in hospital in the Baltic state's northern city of Siauliai and has mild symptoms. Her family members are being monitored.

“We are putting all efforts to establish all people who contacted the infected person so that we can adopt preventive measures and (stop) the spread of the virus,” Deputy Health Minister Algirdas Seselgis said in a statement.

Tags: covid-19, coronavirus outbreak, new zealand covid-19