The Directorate of Health has confirmed the first coronavirus case in Iceland, Vísir reports. An Icelandic male in his forties has been quarantined at the University Hospital after having tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) at just past 1 pm today.
Recently returned from North Italy
According to a bulletin from the Directorate of Health, the man is not in serious condition but displays typical symptoms of the COVID-19 disease: fever, cough, and muscle pain. The man had recently returned from North Italy. The University Hospital has begun tracing the infection’s transmission route in order to determine whether other individuals may have been exposed to the virus.
Alert phase
In light of the diagnosis, the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police in consultation with Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist will activate the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management’s alert phase. As noted by the Directorate of Health, the alert phase is initiated as there has been no ebb in the coronavirus outbreak abroad, especially in Europe, and in light of the first confirmed case in Iceland.
A press conference will be held at 4 pm today, which readers can view here.
