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Turkey announced its first case of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday night, while stressing that all precautionary measures were being taken, the Anadolu news agency reported.

"A male citizen tested positive for the coronavirus in the evening," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said at a press conference in the capital, Ankara.

"The infected individual contracted the virus after returning from Europe. He has been completely isolated," Koca added.

"The patient’s general condition is good. All of his family members and those who came into contact with him are under surveillance," he continued.

Turkey last month closed its border with Iran, which has been hard-hit by the virus, and canceled all flights to the country, noted Anadolu.

Iran on Sunday reported 49 new deaths from coronavirus, the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the country.

There have been high-profile deaths in Iran from the coronavirus. These include a member of the council advising the Ayatollah, a former ambassador, a newly-elected member of parliament, an adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and a re-elected member of parliament who died on Saturday.