The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr.
Matshidiso Moeti has disclosed that COVID-19 cases hit 10,000 with 500
deaths in African countries.
Nigeria, yesterday (Tuesday) recorded 16 new cases to top 254 current
COVID-19 cases in over a dozen states.
Moeti in a statement Wednesday in Maiduguri of Borno state said:
“While the virus was slow to reach the continent compared to other
parts of the world, infection has grown exponentially in recent weeks
and continues to spread.”
While lamenting spread of coronavirus, she said: “Reaching the
continent through travelers returning from hot spots in Asia, Europe
and the United States, Africa’s first COVID-19 case was recorded in
Egypt on 14 February.
“Since then a total of 52 countries have reported cases.”
She disclosed that COVID-19 cases initially, were mainly confined to
global capital cities, noting that a significant number of countries
in Africa are now reporting cases in multiple provinces.
While warning African countries, Moeti said: “COVID-19 has the
potential not only to cause thousands of deaths, but to also unleash
economic and social devastation.
“The deadly virus spreads beyond major cities means the opening of a
new front in our fight against this virus,” declared Moeti in the
statement.
“This requires a decentralised response, which is tailored to the
local context. Communities need to be empowered and provincial and
district levels of government need to ensure they have the resources
and expertise to respond to outbreaks locally.”
She said the global health agency is working with governments across
Africa to scale up their capacities in critical response areas.
According to her, the critical responses include coordination,
surveillance, testing, isolation, case management, contact tracing,
infection prevention and control.
Other COVID-19 responses comprise; risk communication and community
engagement, and laboratory capacity.
She said already Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco and
Tunisia have expanded national testing to multiple labs, allowing for
decentralized testing.
According to her; “the combined measures will ensure the rapid
identification of cases, the tracking down and quarantining of
contacts and the isolation and treatment of patients.
“It is also crucial that people are provided with accurate information
which will promote healthy behaviours.
“Protection of health workers is a vital component of the response and
when governments implement physical distancing measures, the basic
needs of people should be taken into account.”
