Three cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in France, according to the health ministry on Friday, the first recorded in Europe since the outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan last month. This comes as the death toll surges past 40.

Axar.az reports citing RFI that the three people concerned had traveled to China and were now hospitalized in Paris and Bordeaux under special isolation conditions.

In Bordeaux, "the patient is 48 years old. He just returned from China, where he had spent time in Wuhan," explained the French health minister Agnès Buzyn.

"He came to see health authorities with symptoms on Thursday. He is now hospitalized in his home city of Bordeaux in an isolated room. He is doing well. He's been in contact with a dozen people since his return from China."

"We have the first cases in Europe probably because we have up to date testing systems and we can identify patients quickly," said the minister, estimating an incubation time of between two and twelve days.