First French citizen dies from coronavirus as outbreak of disease continues to spread across Europe

AFP via Getty Images
Bronwen Weatherby26 February 2020

A 60-year-old man has become the first French citizen to die after being infected with coronavirus, authorities have confirmed.

The first coronavirus death in Europe was a Chinese tourist who died in France on February 15.

But the man's death marks the first of a French citizen.

In a televised statement, senior health director Jerome Salomon said the man had been in a very serious condition was tested at Paris' Pitie-Salpêtrière hospital late on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately (he) died during the night," Mr Salomon added.

WHO confirms over 80,000 people now have Covid-19
AFP via Getty Images

The man was one of three new cases in France, bringing the total number of people infected with Covid-19 in France to 17.

As the virus is continuing to spread across Europe, Britain is stepping up its preparations for a severe outbreak.

Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures

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A Government document from the National Security Communications Team, seen by The Sun suggests 80 per cent of people could be contaminated with Covid-19, meaning more than 50 million cases.

All but essential travel to Italy's 11 locked-down towns has been advised against.

And GP surgeries and hospitals are now being used as a surveillance system to monitor whether the virus is spreading in the UK.

Holidaymakers have been quarantined in a hotel in Tenerife
AP

On Wednesday morning, figures released by the World Health Organization show that more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19, and that at least 2,700 people have died.

Meanwhile, a hotel in Tenerife, Spain, has been quarantined as the number of tourists who have fallen in doubled on Tuesday night.

Romania confirmed its first case of coronavirus yesterday identifying him only as a man who returned three weeks ago from Italy.

Another 115 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in South Korea, bringing the total number there to 1,261, with 11 deaths so far. This makes it the country with the second-highest number of cases after China.

Among the infected, there is a US soldier based in the region.

Iranian state television has said 19 people have been killed by Covid-19 amid 139 confirmed cases in the country so far.

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