Over 10,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 cases in Africa has now risen to more than 10,000, claiming more than 500 lives.
The virus was slow to reach the continent compared to other parts of the world, but infection has grown exponentially in recent weeks and continues to spread, the UN health agency said.
Africa’s first case of new coronavirus was recorded in Egypt on 14 February. Since then a total of 52 African countries have reported cases and “a significant number” have reported cases in multiple provinces.
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“COVID-19 has the potential not only to cause thousands of deaths, but to also unleash economic and social devastation”, warned Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
She called for communities to be empowered by local authorities, and for provincial and district levels of government to ensure that they have the resources and expertise to respond to outbreaks.
To help combat the virus, WHO is working with governments across Africa to boost surveillance, testing, isolation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, together with risk communication and community engagement.
The UN health agency reported that so far that Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Nigeria have expanded national testing to multiple labs, allowing for a decentralized and more efficient system.
