The World Health Organisation Africa Region says they believe that countries will experience the peak of the coronavirus infections four to six weeks from the start of community transmissions.
It says based on their calculations, it should take less than two months on average for individual countries to report their highest number of daily infections.
COVID-19 in Africa: watch a joint media briefing with WHO and WEF https://t.co/iuyFqZ0HxX
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) May 7, 2020
South Africa’s government has estimated the peak to be between July and September. The continent has more than 51 000 positive cases of the coronavirus.
Over 51,000 confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent – with more than 17,000 associated recoveries & 1,900 deaths. View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/V0fkK8dYTg pic.twitter.com/JCJ45IQSnE
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) May 7, 2020
WHO AFRO Director, Tshidi Moeti, says there will be exceptions. “Overall, we’re looking at the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic and especially now we are looking at community spread in some countries, we are estimating that this will peak in four to six weeks if nothing is done.”
Countries with reported cases have enacted lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. South African entered Level-4 lockdown on May 1.
The WHO says the process of easing measures should be gradual. “It’s not a matter of simply today we have lockdowns, tomorrow everything is opened up. It has to be gradual with the most essential parts of the economy being opened up first.”
Madagascar has said it was now producing a herbal tonic from a plant called Artemisia for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. The WHO is urging the country to take the product through a clinical trial.
@MoetiTshidi: "We are advising the government of Madagascar to take this product through a clinical trial & we are prepared to collaborate with them. We would caution and advise countries against adopting a product that has not been through clinical tests for safety & efficacy."
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) May 7, 2020
