SOFIA

Bulgaria on Sunday confirmed four coronavirus cases out of 70 people tested, the first such confirmed cases in the country.

A 27-year-old who was treated at the Lung Diseases Hospital in the central Gabrovo province and 61-year-old who had contact with the patient both tested positive for the virus, officially known as COVID-19, according to Bulgarian health officials.

In addition, a 75-year-old woman who was treated for respiratory diseases and a female medical staffer at in the city hospital in the northern Pleven province were also diagnosed.

First detected in Wuhan, China, in December, COVID-19 has spread to more than 80 countries.

The global death toll is around 3,500, with more than 100,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, governments have closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries such as China, Iran, and Italy.

After declaring the outbreak an international health emergency in January, the WHO last month updated the global risk level to “very high.”

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur