Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has tasked Africa to step up its measures in curtailing the spread of coronavirus.
The WHO DG said this while speaking at WHO headquarters in Geneva, saying Africa must “wake up” to the coronavirus threat and prepare for the worst.
According to latest reports, there are about 600 confirmed cases across Africa, with a death toll of 16 — six in Egypt, six in Algeria, two in Morocco, one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso.
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However, there are over 220,000 cases worldwide with over 9000 deaths recorded.
Ghebreyesus said, “Africa should wake up, my continent should wake up,” Ghebreyesus said.
“WHO’s recommendation is actually mass gatherings should be avoided and we should do all we can to cut it from the bud, expecting that the worst could happen.
“The continent should learn from how the spread of virus has sped up elsewhere. In other countries we have seen how the virus actually accelerates after a certain tipping point. The best advice for Africa is to prepare for the worst and prepare today.”
