Health Care

France reports first coronavirus death outside Asia

France announced Saturday that a Chinese man has died from the coronavirus within its borders, the first death from the disease outside of Asia.

French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn announced that the 80-year-old man traveled from China’s Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, to France in mid-January and was hospitalized days later. The man’s daughter is also sick with the virus, though her condition is not believed to be as serious.

Europe has reported over 60 confirmed cases of the virus, with Germany having the most at 16, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

China has reported the highest number of cases by far, with more than 65,000 people being infected with the virus in the country. More than 20 other countries have also reported cases of the virus.

Beijing has now confirmed more than 1,500 deaths from the disease, though fatalities have also been confirmed in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan. 

Fifteen cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the U.S., though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it expects more cases in the coming days and weeks as people return from China.