Africa is intensifying its efforts to identify the coronavirus as fears grow that the first case of the disease on the continent, confirmed on Friday, could lead to regional flash, as a lot of Chinese nationals are returning to Africa for work after the Chinese new year holidays.
Countries throughout Africa are in a hurry to train health workers. Officials check passengers at airports and equip laboratories in all 54 countries for virus detection. John Nkengasong, the Director of the Africa centers for control and prevention of diseases, said Friday to reporters that, although 16 countries now have the opportunity to test for coronavirus, another 20 will get it by February 20th.
“We very quickly expanded across the continent“, he said. “Now, when we’re talking about here, in Nairobi, Kenya, held a training on strengthening surveillance at airports and ports of entry“. According to him, more than 40 countries will undergo such training.
Dr. Nkengasong said, perhaps in Africa have already identified more cases of coronavirus, but they are not discovered, because on the continent there is a weak surveillance system.
C. D. C. urged governments in Africa to bring all African students who are currently trapped in China under localization Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. Dr. Nkengasong said the situation in Wuhan can easily become a “humanitarian crisis”, as well as in Africa.
