Worries rise across Africa
Anxiety is rising in Africa after two major airlines yesterday announced sweeping cancellations of international flights over the coronavirus pandemic, the continent’s busiest airport blocked foreigners from disembarking, and Zimbabwe announced its first case – in one of Africa’s most visited tourist spots – threatening a national health system that has nearly collapsed amid an economic crisis.
South African Airways suspended all international flights until June. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, which operates a key continental hub, cancelled flights to 30 countries.
In Zimbabwe, Health Minister Obadiah Moyo said the infected man lived in Victoria Falls, a popular tourist destination. The 38-year-old had travelled to Britain on March 7, returning home via neighbouring South Africa on March 15.
The man put himself in selfquarantine after arriving, and later called his doctor after realising that ‘‘he was not feeling too well’’, Moyo said.
Zimbabwe this week declared a national disaster. Even before the pandemic, public hospitals lacked basic items such as gloves. Doctors at public hospitals recently went on strike, saying their pay of roughly US$100 (NZ$175) a month is not enough to get by in a country with inflation at over 500 per cent.
Zimbabwe’s government has said it is ‘‘well prepared’’ to deal with Covid-19 cases.
South Africa said its tally of coronavirus cases had jumped to 202, the most in the sub-Saharan region.
Five of the new cases had attended a church gathering of more than 200 people in Free
State province. All had arrived from overseas. Authorities are rushing to locate other attendees.
Johannesburg’s O R Tambo International Airport said aircraft with foreigners ‘‘will be contained at an isolated bay, with all officials ensuring the utmost care is taken’’ – following travel restrictions announced several days ago, when South Africa declared a national disaster. The airport said it was working with airlines to ensure that foreigner passengers ‘‘return to the country of origin’’.
Foreigners across the continent of more than 1.3 billion people face the growing risk of being stranded as countries close borders.
Also yesterday, two other African nations – Madagascar and Cape Verde – announced their first cases. Thirty-nine countries on the continent now have cases, with a total now well above 900.
So far, most of the cases in Africa have been linked to overseas travel. But Niger, in announcing its first case, highlighted a possible regional spread inside the continent. Its citizen had travelled via the West African capitals of Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
Tunisia declared a lockdown. Malawi, which has yet to record a case, declared a state of disaster. Nigeria closed three international airports, but those in
Lagos and the capital, Abuja, remained open. South Sudan closed its schools.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio directed the military to the international airport and land borders to increase security and ‘‘support compliance with all public health directives’’, while calling on people not to panic.
‘‘If you cannot do so voluntarily, then we will keep you in isolation by force,’’ Kenya’s health chief, Mutahi Kagwe, warned. The country has ordered bars and nightclubs to close by 7.30pm, effective tomorrow.
Deaths across Africa from the virus reached 22 as Gabon reported its first fatality.
The West African nation of Guinea is defying the coronavirus pandemic to hold a controversial referendum today that could allow the president to stay longer in power.
Nearly 5 million voters are registered for the election. President Alpha Conde, whose second and currently final term is due to end in December, might win the chance to stand for two more seven-year terms.
Some civil society groups are urging authorities to postpone the vote until the end of the pandemic. Guinea has two cases of the virus, according to the National Agency for Health Security.
However, the ruling party has said the cases cannot prevent the rest of the county from voting. Spokesman Amadou Damaro Camara said the election would not spread the virus.
A coalition of opposition and civil society groups, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution, which has been demonstrating against the referendum, has called for another demonstration today.
Conde, first elected in
2010, is barred from running for a third term under
Guinea’s constitution. While the amended constitution would keep a two-term limit and increase terms from five years to seven, he has implied that his previous terms served would not count. –AP