"The ministry of health, labour, and social protection reports the first confirmed case of a new type of coronavirus in the Republic of Moldova", the ministry said, adding that the patient was hospitalized.
According to the health authorities, the 48-years-old woman, who returned from Italy on Saturday, tested positive for COVID-19.
In Europe, Italy has been hit hardest by the coronavirus. According to the National Civil Protection Agency, the total number of COVID-19-affected people, including those who have recovered and those who have died, increased from 3,858 to 4,636 on 5 March.
On a global scale, as of Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases has exceeded 105,000, with more than 90 countries reporting infections. In addition, over 3,550 people have already died from the disease, while more than 58,000 have fully recovered.
COVID-19 was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread across the world. In late January, the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency in light of the epidemic.