The World Health Organization (WHO) has disclosed that Africa could become the next epicentre of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) outbreak.
Brandnewsday reports that WHO representative made this known in an interview with BBC that Africa does not have enough ventilators to deal with the pandemic and there was a sharp rise in cases in the past weeks.
The organization’s Africa Director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said that the organization had witnessed the virus spreading from capital cities to “the hinterland,” in South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana.
”There have been almost 1,000 deaths and more than 18,000 infections across Africa so far, although these rates are far lower than those seen in parts of Europe and the US, however, the virus appears to be spreading away from African capitals.”
Moeti stated that African countries were focusing on prevention rather than treating the virus because the countries don’t have the capacity to treat many Coronavirus patients.
she said, “We want to minimize the proportion of people who get to the point of needing critical care in an ICU because we know that these types of facilities are not adequate by any means in the majority of African countries.”
“I have to say the issue of ventilators is one of the biggest challenges that the countries are facing.
”For patients critically ill with COVID-19, access to a ventilator could be a matter of life or death,” she added.
COVID-19 causes illness such as common cold, fever and difficulty in breathing. The novel COVID-19 spreads via droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes and their droplets lands in the mouth or noses of their people. It can be contracted by touching contaminated surfaces or objects or touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
People that have contracted the deadly virus spend a maximum number of 14 days in self-isolation while people with suspected cases are to be self-quarantine.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting over 127 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan).
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