Cameroon said Friday it has confirmed its first two cases of the novel coronavirus, a French national who arrived in the capital Yaounde in February and a Cameroonian who came in contact with him.
Cameroon is the first central African country to register a case of the deadly virus, and one of five sub-Saharan nations.
The country’s health ministry released a statement on Friday announcing the 58-year-old French man had tested positive.
Several hours later, another statement confirmed the second case, adding that both men have been placed in isolation in a Yaounde hospital.
In sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal has registered four cases, all foreign nationals, and South Africa, Togo and Nigeria have one case each since the outbreak emerged in December in China.
Experts have expressed concern over the continent’s vulnerability to outbreaks of contagious diseases.
