Malawi on Thursday announced its first three coronavirus infections, one of the last African countries to report the potentially deadly disease.

The southern African country was one of the few without any confirmed cases along with the Comoros, Lesotho, Sao Tome and Principe and South Sudan.  

President Peter Mutharika said the infections were in the capital Lilongwe.

The first was detected in an elderly woman who had recently travelled to India to visit her relatives.

“Upon arrival in Malawi, she placed herself in self-quarantine for 14 days but later became symptomatic within the quarantine period,” said Mutharika in an address to the nation.

Two of her contacts also tested positive.

Mutharika said the government would provide medical care for the three patients and track down their immediate contacts.