President Cyril Ramaphosa has raised concerns over a rise in coronavirus cases across Africa.
Ramaphosa was speaking during a virtual consultative meeting with SADC leaders, including Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
The continent has more than 51 000 positive cases of the coronavirus, with over 2 000 COVID-19 related deaths.
Ramaphosa says Africa is working on ensuring there is enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) across the continent.
“In general, the response form the international community has been positive, with various partners making pledges, offering debt relief measures and providing concrete support in the form of medical supplies. One of the biggest challenges the continent faces is access to PPEs. As the AU we met with several of Africa’s business leaders to seek their assistance in ramping up local production of these items and sources them from other parts of the world.”
#COVID19 | Meeting with Heads of State and Government of countries neighbouring South Africa https://t.co/DaUP9AMXFk
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? #StayHome (@CyrilRamaphosa) May 8, 2020
Below is a Live Tracking of the coronavirus cases, death toll and other information:
‘COVID-19 cases could smoulder in Africa’
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the coronavirus could smoulder in Africa for several years.
Africa could face as many as 190,000 deaths in the first year of the #COVID19 pandemic if containment measures such as contact tracing, isolation, hygiene practices & physical distancing, are not implemented.
Read more: https://t.co/oIRoArKbh8 pic.twitter.com/WM0cce5fzY
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) May 8, 2020
“While COVID-19 likely won’t spread as exponentially in Africa as it has elsewhere in the world, it likely will smoulder in transmission hotspots,” says the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
““While COVID-19 likely won’t spread as exponentially in Africa as it has elsewhere in the world, it likely will smoulder in transmission hotspots,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“COVID-19 could become a fixture in our lives for the next several years unless a proactive approach is taken by many governments in the region. We need to test, trace, isolate and treat.”
Dr Moeti announced these new projections during the WHO Africa Media Leader virtual press conference on Friday, which was held with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
‘Majority of African countries have responded well to pandemic’
Africa could emerge stronger and more united from the COVID-19 crisis as it looks for more coordinated solutions to the disease. This is according to the African Union Head of Infrastructure Development, Raila Odinga.
Odinga says with African innovators now seeking homegrown solutions to some of the emerging challenges in containing the disease, the continent could be more self-reliant.
Below is an exclusive interview that SABC News Correspondent, Sarah Kimani, had with Odinga:
