Asia

South Africa came under a nationwide military-patrolled lockdown on Friday, joining other African countries imposing strict curfews and shutdowns in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus across the continent.

The Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development (AIED) has urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to stop wasting “limited testing kits” on political office holders and government officials.

Forty-three of Africa’s 54 countries now have confirmed coronavirus cases, with the total at 2,046, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

Equipment shortages, scarce beds and poorly-paid doctors and nurses: Africa is finding that it has few means to protect itself as a feared coronavirus tsunami looms.

Equipment shortages, scarce beds and poorly-paid doctors and nurses: Africa is finding that it has few means to protect itself as a feared coronavirus tsunami looms.

While the world is still reeling from the novel deadly Coronavirus, China has reported another outbreak of a deadly disease, Hantavirus.

Following the upswing of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Nigeria, the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has placed a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people in any part of the state, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to the Finance Minister, Yubaraj Khatiwada, all cross-border movements will be restricted for seven days from 10 a.m on Monday (or 0415 GMT) until March 29.

The South East Amalgamated Markets Traders Association (SEAMATA) has directed market leaders to provide sanitisers, soap and water tap containers in visible locations in markets to check spread of coronavirus.

The first batch of protective and medical equipment donated by Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma was flown into the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, as coronavirus cases in Africa rose above 1,100.

Angola on Saturday confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus, while Mauritius recorded its first death as the virus spreads across Africa.

Malaysia’s health ministry reported 153 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the total to 1,183, one of the highest in Asia.

China reported no new local cases of the deadly coronavirus for a third consecutive day Saturday but confirmed the highest yet increase in infections from abroad.

South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Friday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen by 52 to 202, with the first cases recorded in the Free State province.

African countries led by Nigeria and South Africa have ramped up action against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) after the continent recorded its first fatality.

Africa will likely see increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in coming weeks because it’s “very likely” that some cases are slipping through the net, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control said on Thursday.

Shoppers threaded their way between stalls hawking everything from watches to pigs’ feet in Sierra Leone’s capital on Wednesday, two days after the government banned large gatherings to combat the coronavirus but exempted markets such as this.

Sub-Saharan Africa has recorded its first COVID-19 death, a high-ranking politician in Burkina Faso, as the head of the World Health Organisation urged the continent to “prepare for the worst”.