MATSHIDISO Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO), Regional Director for Africa, has said that Africa’s window of opportunity to prepare for Coronavirus officially called Covid19 is closing, following the record of a second case in the continent.
In a tweet, Moeti advised that African countries brace up for the virus as it has now entered the continent. She announced that Algeria has recorded its first case of Covid-19 after an infected Italian man entered the country on February 17, and tested positive to the virus.
Algeria, one of the 47 countries in Africa, is the second to record a case of Covid-19.
A few weeks back, WHO, announced that Egypt had recorded its first case, making it the first African country to import the virus.
However, the North African country denied having any case of the virus, claiming that the test came out negative.
According to the Times of Egypt, Khaled Megahed, advisor to the Egyptian Health Minister on Media Affairs said the nation has deployed every strategy necessary to avoid an outbreak.
The virus which originated from Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has infected over 80,000, with over 2,700 confirmed dead.
While most of the cases are present in China, the virus has spread to more than two dozen countries including the United States.
Nigeria is yet to register any case of Covid-19 but the most populous black nation is currently suffering Lassa Fever epidemic in some states.
The ICIR also found that the country is not ready to combat Covid-19.
In a report, it showed that two major hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory are ill-equipped to fight Coronavirus or any other infectious disease.
Seun Durojaiye is a journalist with International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).