• According to this, it is worth noting that north Africa countries have the most case while no confirmed case has been reported in East Africa.
• Egypt, Algeria and Morocco are the only African countries with reported fatalities of Coronavirus patients.
As coronavirus continues to stir anxiety and fear globally, Africa has now reported 130 cases.
South Africa reported four new cases on Thursday morning.
South Africa’s health minister Zweli Mkhize on Thursday reported the first case of local transmission of the coronavirus, saying a 32-year-old man had contracted it after coming into contact with a Chinese businessman.
“All others (cases) have been by patients who had traveled abroad,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 17 from 13 on Wednesday.
With over 4,638 deaths and with over 126,620 infections across the work, 12 countries in Africa have now reported the cases as of March 20.
In those countries, a total of 130 people have confirmed positive for the virus. This is according to the World Health Organisation report published on March 12.
The 12 countries are; DRC Congo (1) Burkina Faso (2) South Africa (17) Togo (1) Cameroon (2) Algeria (20), Egypt (67), Morocco (6), Nigeria (2), Senegal (4), Ivory Coast (1) and Tunisia (7).
According to this, it is worth noting that north Africa countries have the most case while no confirmed case has been reported in East Africa.
Egypt continues to take the lead with the highest number of reported cases being 67. One fatality has been reported.
Two other fatalities have been reported in Morocco and Algeria.
The number of cases remains remarkably small, despite China being Africa’s largest trading partner.
The disease was first reported in China's Wuhan province before it spread to other countries.
There has been an assumption that the disease would spread rapidly in Africa due to the weak public health systems but the there is no real consensus.
A 60-year-old male German tourist who arrived in Egypt became the continent’s first COVID-19 fatality.
South Africa has also reported 17 infection cases as the country strain from low economic times especially in the tourism sector which has been impacted by the pandemic.
Algeria is the second leading in new confirmed cases reported.
At least 20 people have tested positive for the virus.
The Government, however, announced that there could be more to come as the country's public health officials said they experienced “challenges” in tracking down people who may have come in contact with its index case.
China, Italy, and Iran remain the nations with the highest number of deaths globally.
China has reported a steady reduction in the number of new infections.
The USA has so far reported 38 deaths.
Many African countries have dedicated to putting necessary measures in place in preparedness to contain the virus.