The latest patient to be diagnosed with the virus is a French tourist who arrived in Morocco on March 7.

Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health confirmed today the diagnosis of a third coronavirus case, officially known as COVID-19, in the North African country.

In an official statement, the ministry announced that the latest person in Morocco to contract the virus is a French tourist who arrived in the country on March 7.

After suffering respiratory difficulties, the tourist sought medical attention on March 8 and was tested for the virus.

Health professionals followed all protective measures set out by the ministry of health to protect the public from the virus. The patient, however, tested positive for the virus at Morocco’s Pasteur Institute.

The statement added that the patient is in a stable condition in hospital in Marrakech and assured the public that all necessary public health measures are being taken, in line with international standards.

The latest diagnosis comes after two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Casablanca. The ministry of health announced the first diagnosis on March 2 and a second case on March 5. Both patients had travelled from Italy.

Health authorities are tracking the movements of the two patients and are monitoring any one they had direct contact with, including the 104 passengers who were on the first patient’s flight from Italy to Morocco.

Yesterday, March 9, the ministry of health announced tests had been carried out on 12 suspected cases of the virus, all coming back negative.

As of yesterday’s announcement Morocco had carried out the test on 62 people suspected to have the virus, according to the ministry of health.

The ministry shared the information as part of its policy of transparency on the coronavirus epidemiological situation.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Monday that the number of confirmed cases in Africa has risen to more than 90, with Egypt reporting more than half of the diagnoses.

As the number of confirmed cases on the continent hits an all time high, Egypt announced the first death from the virus in Africa.

A 60 year old German tourist died from illnesses relating to the virus on March 8, after a week-long holiday in Egypt. Meanwhile, the number of cases in the country has hit 48, with the majority contracting the virus on a cruise ship.