Germany confirms 1st case of new virus from China

BERLIN (AP) - Authorities in Germany have confirmed the country's first case of the new virus that emerged in central China.

The Health Ministry in the southern state of Bavaria said late Monday that the man from Starnberg, south of Munich, is 'œin a clinically good condition.'ť

Officials said the man is being medically monitored and isolated. Persons who were in close contact with the man are being informed about possible symptoms and hygiene measures.

The ministry said it considers the risk to the general population in Bavaria to be 'œlow.'ť

Germany is the second European country to report a confirmed case of the virus. Authorities in France confirmed three cases in recent days -all Chinese citizens who recently returned from travels there.

A spokesman for Bavaria's Health Ministry, Joerg Saeuberlich, was unable to say whether the Bavarian case involved recent travel to China. He said authorities to provide new details at a news conference in Munich at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).

The new type of coronavirus has infected thousands of people in China. Nearly all of the cases outside China are among people who recently traveled from there.