Africa’s COVID-19 cases nearly 290,000 as death toll reach 7,693: Africa CDC

ADDIS ABABA - The number of confirmed COVID19 cases across the African continent reached 286,141 as of Saturday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC in its latest situation update said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Africa rose from 275,323 on Friday afternoon to 286,141 as of Saturday afternoon. The continental disease control and prevention agency also disclosed that the death toll from the pandemic also rose from 7,395 on Friday to 7,693 as of Saturday afternoon. The Africa CDC, which noted that the virus had spread into 54 African countries, said that some 132,412 people who were infected with COVID-19 had recovered across the continent as of the stated period.

Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the African continent, the highly affected African countries include South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, as well as Algeria, it was noted. When population is taken into consideration, Djibouti, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Cape Verde and Equatorial Guinea, are reporting the most cumulative COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population within the continent, according to the Africa CDC. The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is now the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, overtaking the Northern Africa region. Western Africa region is the thirdmost affected area in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases.

According to figures from the Africa CDC, during the past week, some 55,612 new COVID-19 cases have been reported across the continent, which the Africa CDC said has registered a 27 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases compared to what was reported in the previous week. Five countries account for 63 percent of the new COVID-19 cases reported over the past week that are South Africa with 34 percent, Egypt with 16 percent, Nigeria with 6 percent, Ghana with 4 percent, and Cameroon with 3 percent, it said. Earlier this week, the Africa CDC revealed that some 43 African countries are under full border closure due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, according to the Africa CDC. In addition to the 43 countries under full border closure, night-time curfew has been activated across 35 countries in an effort to halt the spread of the infectious virus. (Xinhua)