The justice minister of Somalia's autonomous Hirshabelle state, Khalif Mumin Tohow, has died after contracting the novel coronavirus, the second recorded death in the country.

Tohow died on Sunday in Mogadishu's Martini hospital a day after he tested positive for COVID-19 in the town of Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle.

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Ali Gudlawe Hussein, vice president of Hirshabelle, confirmed his death.

According to local media, Tohow, who was Somali-British, travelled to the United Kingdom in February before he came back to the Horn of Africa nation.

Somalia registered its first death from coronavirus on Wednesday.

The patient was a 58-year-old man, Minister of Health Fawziya Abikar Nur said in a Tweet without giving additional details.

According to the Ministry of Health, the country has 21 confirmed coronavirus cases, including several government employees.