By News Desk
Kenyan authorities has intensified raid on shop alleged selling fake coronavirus testing kits after World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed there were at least 327 cases on the African continent.
The law enforcement agency in the country has detained staff of the outfit and sealed the facility to prevent it from continued advert of testing kits online.
Meanwhile, Liberia has announced its first case, increasing numbers of African countries that are now treating patients with coronavirus to 27.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-largest nation, joined the growing list of countries that closed schools for two weeks, suspended all large gatherings and cancelled all sports events, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said.
Free rides will be available on government buses to curb overcrowding in the public transport system, a statement said.
“The Prime Minister calls upon all to maintain calm and equip themselves with accurate information from the Ministry of Health,” Abiy’s office said.
Nigeria’s health ministry said the country, Africa’s most populous, had taken additional measures including strengthening contact tracing, stockpiling reagents used in test kits and increasing testing capacity.
Many African nations, including some without reported cases, have ordered tougher control measures, including bans on public gatherings, halting flights and closing schools and universities.
South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said on Monday that despite having some money available for coronavirus response through the National Disaster fund, the government may need to earmark further funding.
“As the situation develops we will need to set aside further funding, that means we will have to reduce programmes throughout the government system by reducing the allocated amounts,” Mboweni said at a conference outlining new measures to contain the outbreak. He did not provide any figures.
The number of cases in Rwanda increased to five on Monday, and Burkina Faso’s health ministry said that eight new coronavirus cases had been confirmed, bringing the total there to 15 since March 9.
