Cleaning staff wearing protective masks stand outside the Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Heliopolis east of Cairo, Egypt February 5, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt confirmed on Friday its first coronavirus case and said the affected person was a foreigner who had been put into isolation in hospital.

The health ministry said in a statement it had immediately informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) and had taken all necessary preventative measures. It did not give the nationality of the affected person, or any other details.

WHO Egypt said on Twitter the person was carrying the virus, but had not shown any symptoms and was in a stable condition.