16 members of the same family in the Blida region, near Algiers, were infected with the coronavirus following contacts with Algerian nationals living in France, the Algerian Ministry of Health announced.

“The total number of people affected by the coronavirus amounts to 17 cases, including 16 from the same family,” said the director-general of prevention at the Ministry of Health, Djamel Fourar,  on Thursday.

Algeria is to date the African country most affected by the epidemic.

The epidemiological investigation made it possible to trace the contamination to an 83-year-old Algerian and his daughter residing in France – who are not among these 16 cases. The man and his daughter stayed with their family from February 14 to 21 in Blida, 50 km south of Algiers, according to the Ministry of Health.

Both were confirmed positive for coronavirus after their return to France on February 21.

“The two people came to attend a party in Beni Merred, about ten kilometres from Blida,” said a resident of the region who requested anonymity.

In Algeria, the first two members of their family carrying the virus – a 53-year-old woman and her 24-year-old daughter with whom the two had stayed – were listed on March 1 and placed in solitary confinement.

The next day, two new cases of coronavirus were registered among relatives, then three the day after and finally nine cases for the single day on Wednesday.

The 17th case – announced on February 25 by the Ministry of Health – is that of an Italian national, arrived in Algeria on February 17, who had been placed in “isolation” then repatriated a few days later.

According to Dr. Fourar, “at present, there are no other cases outside this family”