The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 1 million coronavirus tests will be rolled out starting next week in Africa to address the “big gap” in assessing the true number of cases.
JOHANNESBURG -- More than 1 milliontests will be rolled out starting next week in Africa to address the “big gap” in assessing the true number of cases on the continent, the head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, while one projection estimates more than 10 million severe cases of the virus in the next six months.
Africa has suffered in the global race to obtain testing kits and other badly needed medical equipment. While the number of virus cases across the continent was above 17,000 on Thursday,South Africa, the most assertive African nation in testing, has carried out 90,000 tests so far, according to its health ministry. It's not immediately clear how many people have been tested across Africa.
The WHO's regional chief for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said that for the current biennium, or two years, the region has received almost $50 million from the U.S. Ten African nations have no ventilators at all to treat virus patients who need respiratory support, the Africa CDC chief said, but arrangements are being made to deliver some recently donated by the Jack Ma Foundation. Nkengasong did not name the 10 countries.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and those with other health problems, it can cause pneumonia and death.
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