Africa gears up to fight coronavirus

THE Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

(Africa CDC) will be conducting training in Nairobi, Kenya, for 40 participants from nine countries on enhancing detection and investigation of the coronavirus at points-of-entry.

John Nkengasong, director at Africa CDC, said the training was co-facilitated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO).

On Friday, the health minister of Egypt, Hala Zayed, confirmed the first coronavirus (Covid-19) case in that country.

She said the patient was a man, 33, of foreign origin and was currently receiving treatment at an isolation centre in Egypt.

The Africa CDC said the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and eSwatini were testing suspected cases of coronavirus.

The CDC and WHO Africa region have in the past weeks boosted the testing capabilities of countries.

“In Dakar, Senegal, we conducted training and supplied test kits to 16 African laboratories, including Egypt. Egypt also received additional test kits from the WHO,” said Zayed.

In the next two weeks, Africa CDC said, further training and resources would be provided to Egypt and other at-risk countries for infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities, medical management of Covid-19, and risk communication and community engagement.

“We anticipated that the Covid19 outbreak would inevitably impact Africa. That is why Africa CDC has been working with AU member states and partners investing in preparedness and response.

This detection by Egyptian authorities is evidence of the strategy that Africa CDC and AU member states have adopted in combating the disease,” Zayed said.

The Egyptian case is thus far the first officially confirmed coronavirus infection in Africa.