Healthcare

First Coronavirus Death In Europe Confirmed, Death Toll At 1,666

Syringes are common tools used to inject opioids. By ZaldyImg - originally posted to Flickr as Syringe 5 With Drops, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8711582

The first coronavirus death in Europe happened in Paris on Friday, French health officials confirmed.

That brings the death toll internationally to 1,666 as the highly contagious illness continues to spread. The patient in France was an 80-year-old Chinese tourist from Hubei, the epicenter of coronavirus, French health minister Agnès Buzyn said Saturday. He had been in the hospital for weeks prior to his death, according to The New York Times.

Ce matin à Bruxelles au Conseil des ministres européens de la santé, nous sommes réunis pour travailler notre coordination de façon étroite face à l’enjeu sanitaire international posé par le coronavirus. Notre volonté est d’être plus que jamais unis et de parler d’une seule voix. pic.twitter.com/1ZH9918LEd

— Agnès Buzyn (@agnesbuzyn) February 13, 2020

There were 11 other cases of the virus in France, including the Chinese tourist’s daughter. Seven patients are still in the hospital, and four have been discharged, according to TheNYT, citing health officials.

Cases of coronavirus around the world approached 69,000 by press time Saturday. Symptoms of the illness include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the 15th case of coronavirus in the United States on Thursday. The patient was under a federal quarantine at JBSA-Lackland in Texas for observation and treatment.