Advertisement

Coronavirus: African countries with confirmed cases

Tuesday March 10 2020
hosipitali

People wear masks as they walk by the entrance to the Yaounde General Hospital in Yaounde on March 6, 2020 as Cameroon has confirmed its first case of the COVID-19 coronavirus, a French national who arrived in the capital Yaounde in February. PHOTO | AFP

By HELLEN GITHAIGA

The novel coronavirus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

The virus, which has been named Covid-19, has spread across the globe infecting over 126,000 people and killing more than 4,600 as at Thursday, March 12, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Of those infected, more than 68,000 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus.

WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11.

Africa has recorded 128 cases in 12 countries as at March 12, two of which have resulted in death.

Here are the African countries that have confirmed Covid-19 cases:

  • NORTH AFRICA - 100 cases, two deaths
Advertisement

Egypt - 67 and one death
The first case was reported on February 14. The foreigner was the first known infection in Africa, who is said to have recovered and discharged. The country has the highest number of confirmed cases in Africa, with 55 people testing positive, and one death so far.

Algeria – 20 and one death
Of the confirmed cases as at March 4, 16 come from the same family in Blida province, about 30km south of the capital Algiers. The family had hosted a Frenchman and his daughter, who tested positive on return to France.

Morocco – 6

First confirmed case was reported on March 2, after a Moroccan man tested positive. He had travelled from Italy.

Tunisia – 7

The first case was confirmed on March 2, a Tunisian national who had arrived from Italy.

  • WEST AFRICA - 12 cases

Nigeria – 2

An Italian national tested positive in Lagos on February 28. He had travelled from Milan. He was the first known case in sub-Saharan Africa.

Senegal – 6
Two new cases were reported on March 4, to bring the total of confirmed cases to four. The first one had been reported on March 2, while the second one a day later.
The first case was of a Frenchman who had travelled from France. His wife tested positive on two days later. The others are a Frenchman and a British woman.

Togo - 1

The first case of coronavirus was registered on Friday. The patient, 42, had visited Benin, Germany, France and Turkey in late February and early March

Burkina Faso - 2

Two people, a couple were confirmed to have Covid-19 on Monday. They had returned from France.

Cote d'Ivoire - 1

The first confirmed case of coronavirus on Wednesday was that of a 45-year-old Ivorian man who had recently travelled to Italy.

  • SOUTHERN AFRICA - 13 cases

South Africa – 13
The first case in southern Africa was reported on March 5. The patient had travelled from Italy, in a group of 10 including his wife, through Dubai to the eastern city of Durban, according to the health ministry. The six more cases were confirmed on March 11 , bringing the total to 13

  • CENTRAL AFRICA - 3 cases

Cameroon – 2

The first case was reported on March 6, that of a 58-year-old French national who arrived in the capital Yaounde on February 24.

DR Congo - 1

The first case was reported on March 10. The patient, 52, is a Congolese citizen who had return from France.

Advertisement