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The coronavirus was confirmed in the Chinese city of Wuhan on January 7, 2020. Cases have since been confirmed in over 80 countries across the globe.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, has since declared it a public health emergency of international dimensions. WHO chief Tedros Ghebereyesus said whiles China had a robust health system to detect and control, his outfit remained concerned about the virus entering country’s with weak systems.
Almost all African governments have publicly put in place strict screening at points of entry especially airports. Cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal and Nigeria. African airlines have cancelled scheduled flights to China except for Ethiopian Airlines.
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that range from the common cold to MERS coronavirus, which is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and SARS, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus.
In this article, we will share the latest developments as authorities implement measures to contain the spread of the virus, especially on the African continent.
SUGGESTED READING: rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Africa
- Nigeria president hails Dangote’s $540,000 donation
- DRC to quarantine citizens from four virus- affected nations
- Cameroon gets second case
- Togo confirms first case
- Cameroon confirms first case
- Twitter CEO cancels planned work trip to Africa
- Kenya identifies high-risk areas
- Three major conferences postponed
- South Africa records first case
- Cases more than double in Algeria
- 2 South Africans recover from coronavirus
- Tunisia suspends ferry services to Northern Italy
- Senegal records two new cases
- Africa Basketball League postponed
- Tanzania bans shaking hands
- Kenyans sharing fake news to be charged
- Senegal records second case
- Zimbabwe to deport foreigners without ‘medical clearance’
- Morocco records first case, sixth case in Africa
- Senegal, Tunisia confirm first cases
- Egypt confirms second coronavirus case
- Algeria confirms two more coronavirus cases
- Kenya suspends all flights from China
- Nigeria records first case
Rolling coverage of coronavirus outbreak in Africa
Nigeria acknowledges Dangote’s preparedness donation
Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged a donation from Africa’s richest man towards the country’s preparedness towards the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Hand in hand, standing shoulder to shoulder, we can confront our challenges as a country. This is a path for us all to follow as a people,” Buhari said in a statement.
The Aliko Dangote foundation, ADF, earlier in the week announced a 200 million naira donation to fight the virus in Nigeria. The country currently has only a confirmed case of an Italian national who arrived in Lagos weeks back.
A major chunk of the donation, N124million, was earmarked to support facilities to help prevent, assess and respond to health events at Point of Entry to ensure National Health Security.
“The donation was part of the Foundation’s cardinal objective of partnering with governments at all levels against the dreaded disease in Nigeria and the rest of Africa,” a top official of the foundation said.
Read more: Dangote donate N200m to fight Coronavirus in Nigeria
Presidency Nigeria
✔@NGRPresident
The President recalls that the organization had in the past donated N1 billion to tackle Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Africa, commending such public spiritedness to other well-to-do individuals and groups.