Dominican Republic reports first case of new virus

Health officials in the Dominican Republic on Sunday reported the first confirmed case of the new coronavirus in the tourist-rich Caribbean, a 62-year-old Italian citizen.

Public Health Minister Rafael Snchez Crdenas said the man had arrived in the country on February 22 without showing symptoms.

He was being treated in isolation at a military hospital and has not shown serious complications.

The announcement came shortly before the Braemar cruise ship that had been denied entry to the Dominican Republic due to the virus fears apparently at last found a place to dock the Dutch territory of St. Maarten.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said at least some of the passengers would be flown to Britain aboard chartered airliners. Other passengers, who had been scheduled to board the vessel on Friday in the Dominican Republic, were being flown to St. Maarten to embark there.

Dominican officials had barred the ship due to reports that a few of those aboard had a flu-like illness, but the cruise line said none had symptoms consistent with the new virus.

It was one of at least three cruise ships turned away from Caribbean ports over the past week due to concerns over possible viral infections, though no passengers on any of the ships has been confirmed to have the disease.

The broader Latin America region has reported several other cases of the COVID-19 illness since midweek. Mexico has reported four cases, Brazil two and Ecuador one, all involving people who had traveled recently to Europe.