WHO: Egypt confirms first coronavirus case in Africa The African Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirms the first verified case of the novel coronavirus in Africa. Egypt's health ministry on Friday announced the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Africa. Egyptian authorities had notified the World Health Organization and the patient been placed in quarantined isolation in hospital. The sufferer was not Egyptian, the ministry said in a statement, without specifying the nationality. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES