Serbia Confirms First COVID-19 Death Case

Serbia on Friday confirmed the first coronavirus-related death in the country.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said a 59-year-old man in the northern autonomous province of Vojvodina died due to the virus.

"A few hours ago, a 59-year-old man from Kikinda died at the Clinical Center of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. He had many other health problems," Brnabic said, adding that eight more people were in critical condition.

Brnabic said the man contracted the virus from another male patient currently in critical condition.

With 17 new infections reported on Friday, the national tally has risen to 135, according to Serbia's Health Ministry.

The country on Sunday declared a state of emergency, restricting movement for anyone over the age of 65 in urban areas and 70 in rural areas.

A night curfew was also imposed on Wednesday to curb the pandemic.

The coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to at least 164 countries and territories. The WHO has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 265,000 while the death toll has reached 11,000 and over 87,000 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who become infected suffer only mild symptoms and recover. -