Coronavirus: First European death as Chinese tourist dies in France

A laboratory worker checks her goggles before testing coronavirus samples - Rex/Xinhua
A laboratory worker checks her goggles before testing coronavirus samples - Rex/Xinhua

An 80-year-old Chinese tourist has died from the virus in France, becoming the first European fatality.

The man had been receiving treatment in the Bichat-Claude Bernard hospital, northern Paris, since January 25, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said.

Before this only three deaths had been recorded outside of mainland China - in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan.

The man's daughter is also in hospital but French authorities say she is likely to make a good recovery.

France has recorded 11 cases of the virus, out of a global total of 63,851.