Nigeria has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, the health ministry said on Twitter on Friday, announcing the first case in sub-Saharan Africa, as infections spread rapidly worldwide.

The ministry said the case was in the state of Lagos, home to the southwestern commercial capital of the same name. Lagos is the biggest city in Africa’s most populous country, with a population of about 20 million.

"The case...is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January," the health ministry said bit.ly/2HZQrO0 in its post, adding that the infection was confirmed on Thursday.

A presidency spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment.

Hopes that the virus would be contained to China vanished on Friday as infections spread, with countries beginning to stockpile medical equipment and investors taking flight in expectation of a global recession.