By Baris Seckin, Ali Cura and Muhammet Nazim Tasci
ROMA/MOSCOW/ANKARA (AA) – The leader of Italy's center-left Democratic Party announced that he contracted the novel coronavirus.
In a video message, Nicola Zingaretti, 54, who also sits as president of the country's central Lazio region, said: "I will follow the the protocols like everybody else. I am fine and I have to stay home in the coming days."
"My family is also following the same protocols. No need to panic. Keep fighting. Hope to see you soon," said Zingaretti.
Authorities had announced on Friday that the current number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Lazio was 50.
As COVID-19 continues to spread, the death toll in Italy has risen to nearly 200.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 patients detected in Russia increased from 10 to 14 in one day, with the new additions having traveled to Italy within the past two weeks.
Also, in a statement, India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the number of people infected with COVID-19 rose to 34 in the country.
First detected in Wuhan, China in December, the disease, also known as COVID-19 now is present in over 80 countries worldwide.
The global death toll is nearing 3,500, with around 100,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
It has since spread to over 80 countries and the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak an international health emergency, and recently updated the global risk assessment to “very high”.
