Cairo, Feb 15 (IANS): Egypt has reported the country's first coronavirus case, which is also the first in the African continent, the country's Health Ministry announced in a joint statement with the WHO.

The statement issued on Friday said the patient was a foreigner, without giving further details, reports the Cairo-based Al Ahram newspaper.

The person tested positive for the far-spreading virus but had not showed any symptoms, Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said, adding that he has been quarantined in a hospital.

To detect infected persons, the spokesman said that the Ministry has taken a number of measures, including an electronic programme to register and follow up on those who arrived in Egypt from countries inflicted with the virus and through teams that monitor them daily.

As of Saturday, the death toll due to the virus in the Chinese mainland increased to 1,523, with a total of 66,492 confirmed cases.

Outside China, there has been three deaths -- Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.

The number of reported cases outside of China were Japan (203), Hong Kong (56), Singapore (50), Thailand (33), South Korea (28), Taiwan (18), Malaysia (18), Germany (16), Vietnam (16), Australia (15), the US (14), France (11), Macau (10), the UK (nine), the UAE (eight), Canada (seven), India (three), the Philippines (three), Italy (three), Russia (two), Spain (two), Cambodia (one), Finland (one), Nepal (one), Sri Lanka (one), Sweden (one) and Belgium (one), according to latest figures issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on Friday.