Khartoum, Mar 14 (IANS): Sudan's Health Ministry has announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

"The infected was a man in his 50s living in Khartoum locality in Khartoum State. He died on Thursday," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

It noted that the man, the first victim of the viral respiratory disease, had visited the United Arab Emirates during the first week of March, Xinhua news agency reported.

Before the announcement, Sudan had not disclosed the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the country.

The ministry said it had taken more measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus as part of a national plan to combat the virus.

On Thursday, the Sudanese government issued an entry ban on the citizens from eight countries hit by COVID-19, including South Korea, China, Italy, Iran, France, Spain, Japan and Egypt. Sudan has also decided to close its border crossings with Egypt.