Northern Ireland confirms its first case of coronavirus

A single case of the coronavirus has been confirmed in Northern Ireland, the Irish Times reported Thursday, marking the first instance of the new illness on the island of Ireland. Citing Northern Ireland's Public Health Agency, the newspaper said the patient traveled from Italy through the Republic of Ireland and on to Northern Ireland. The patient is being treated and the authorities are working to identify any contacts he has had to prevent further spread. The news comes as Italy confirms that 650 people have tested positive for the illness, that broke out in Wuhan, China late last year and has already sickened more than 80,000 people. The death toll in Italy has risen to 17, according to the latest tally.

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