A 65-year-old patient became the third person known to be infected with the coronavirus to die in Ethiopia, Minister of Health Lia Tadesse said on Friday, as the number of people contracting the virus continued to mount.

The death of the woman from Dukem, a town on the Addis-Bishoftu road, followed that of a 60-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man on Sunday, the first victim of coronavirus in Ethiopia.

The 65-year-old patient, who had no travel history, had been hospitalized on April 4 for an underlying medical condition and diagnosed with COVID-19 two days later, said Lia. She was later moved to the intensive care unit, she said.

The country has confirmed nine new cases today, all related to a recently returned overseas traveler who was already in quarantine. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 65, prompting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to declare a state of emergency two days ago.

Image: Ethiopian Orthodox faithful practice social distancing as they attend a morning prayer session at the St. Michael church, April 1. REUTERS