Serbia's Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said on Friday that the first COVID-19 case has been registered in that country.

He said that a man in the northern city of Subotica had tested positive for the coronavirus, adding that he had been in contact with his sister in Budapest who had respiratory problems. The man self-isolated himself and is now in isolation in hospital in Subotica, the minister told a hastily called news conference.  

He said there is no reason to panic. “Serbia is absolutely prepared for this,” he said and added that everything necessary would be done. “We will continue to inform you in the most transparent way to provide information to the public,” the minister said. Loncar said that all the health ministers in Europe, whether in the European Union or not, should meet to agree on how to tackle the global problem.

Earlier on Friday, the Health Ministry issued its daily bulletin saying no COVID-19 cases had been reported and adding that another six people had been tested over the previous 24 hours none of them testing positive for the coronavirus.