Kenya has confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus, Minister of Health Mutahi Kagwe said on Friday.

Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said the patient arrived in the country on 5 March but was given a positive diagnosis on 12 March.

She had travelled from the US and transited in London, without leaving the airport, and was confirmed positive by Kenya’s national influenza laboratory.

The minister said the patient was stable and “eating”, adding that her fever had gone down but she will be kept in isolation until she tests negative.