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Yemen’s Houthis announce first coronavirus case

While 21 previous cases had been reported in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government, the real figure in the war-wracked country is likely far higher.
Houthi Health Minister, Taha al-Mutawakkil addresses a news conference on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sanaa, Yemen May 5, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2GIG9HSIRK

Houthi authorities yesterday announced the first confirmed coronavirus case in areas under its control, some two weeks after reports of suspected cases in the country’s north.

A Somali immigrant was found dead in a hotel in Sanaa, Health Minister Taha al-Mutawakel told the Houthis' Al-Masira TV on Tuesday. The deceased man later tested positive for coronavirus and was suffering from kidney failure and underlying liver disease, Mutawakel said.

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