The novel coronavirus could kill between 83,000 and 190,000 people in Africa in the first year and infect between 29 million and 44 million in the first year if containment measures fail, the WHO has warned.
The projections are contained in a new WHO Africa study based on assumptions that containment measures are not put in place or fail, WHO Africa head Matshidiso Moeti told reporters in a teleconference.
Most countries on the continent have imposed restrictions on public gatherings, international travel and curfews among other measures meant to curb the spread of the virus. The virus hit Africa later than other continents and transmission rates are lower than elsewhere.
“The importance of promoting effective containment measures is ever more crucial, as sustained and widespread transmission of the virus could severely overwhelm our health systems,” Dr. Moeti said in a statement. “Curbing a large scale outbreak is far costlier than the ongoing preventive measures governments are undertaking to contain the spread of the virus.”
In other developments:
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Russia’s coronavirus cases, which now stand at over 177,000, have overtaken France and Germany to become the fifth highest total in the world after a record daily rise.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan will ease lockdown in phases from Saturday despite an increase in number of coronavirus cases in the country.
Senior German health official Lars Schaade said a second coronavirus wave could hit Germany before autumn. Case numbers are falling but this is not an all-clear signal, Schaade said at a news conference.
Globally, more than 3.7 million people have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus so far, and more than 264,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Aljazeera
