Number of confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 79

Health officials on Tuesday evening confirmed another 14 cases of Covid-19 had been diagnosed in Argentina, pushing the total number to 79.

Salta, Jujuy and Santa Cruz provinces registered their first cases of coronavirus, the Health Ministry said, indicating the infection is still spreading.

Four of the new confirmed cases are in Buenos Aires City, two are in Buenos Aires Province, two are in Córdoba Province and the regions of Chaco, Jujuy, Salta, Río Negro, Entre Ríos and Santa Cruz have one.

The confirmed diagnoses in Entre Ríos and Santa Cruz provinces are foreign citizens.

Earlier in the day, officials in Salta Province had confirmed that a 40-year-old man who had returned from Europe on March 12 had become the first individual to be diagnosed with Covid-19 in the region. He went to a private clinic after feeling ill and was immediately hospitalised and isolated.

Of the 14 new cases, 12 correspond to people with a history of recent travel to "risk areas," while two are a result of coming into contact with other confirmed cases.

To date "most cases are imported," said a statement from the Health Ministry, adding that "local transmission is detected via close contact, with no evidence of community transmission."

In total, there are 79 confirmed cases in Argentina, with two fatalities recorded – one in Capital Federal and the other in Chaco.

The patients are complying with quarantine, as established by the health authorities, the statement added.

– TIMES/NA