Concerns over the resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak were raised on Thursday after 17 cases were confirmed among Tunisians who had returned home from abroad.
Twelve people at a quarantine center tested positive for the virus, after getting tested by the Regional Health Department in the central-eastern city of Mahdia.
Regional Director of Basic Health in Medenine, Zaid Al Anz said five of those repatriated were infected with the coronavirus. Three are from Gabes, one from Tunis and the last from Sousse.
The news dampened the joy in eight Tunisian provinces that were declared free of infections.
Member of the Standing Committee for the fight against coronavirus, Jalila Ben Khalil said risks of infection are still present.
The newly recorded cases are distributed among eight states, she noted, adding that they include states that had been announced as virus-free.
The total number of infections has reached 1,086 cases in Tunisia, with 938 recoveries and 48 deaths. Eighty-twp coronavirus-positive cases are still under medical supervision.
Khalil revealed that 15,495 cases have been quarantined since the first case was detected on March 2. Among them are 12,572 who completed their quarantine period, while the remaining 2,923 are still present in the quarantine centers, waiting for the results of medical tests.
