The Colombian Ministry of Health confirmed on Friday the country's first case of COVID-19.

The 19-year-old patient recently arrived in Bogota from Milan, Italy.

The Ministry of Health said in a release that the patient went to a local health center after presenting symptoms related to COVID-19.

The National Institute of Health announced that at this time, the preparation phase for confronting the new coronavirus ended and the protocol for containing the virus in the country has been activated.