Coronavirus Africa news summary: cases and deaths - 25 April
Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news - Saturday 25 April
Africa Covid-19 update: 02:00 WAT Sunday 26 April (03:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 2,893,729 cases have been detected worldwide, with 202,668 deaths and 816,211 people now recovered.
Nigeria: 1,182 cases / 35 deaths
South Africa: 4,361 cases / 86 deaths
Ghana: 1,279 cases / 10 deaths
Kenya: 343 cases / 14 deaths
Follow our live updates on Sunday 26 April here.
Arsenal to reopen training ground to players this week
Gunners gearing up to return to work
Arsenal will re-open their training ground facilities this week for their players to use for individual training
Sanwo-Olu tells bereaved families to collect deceased
Lagos Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged bereaved family members to pick up the corpses that pertain to them in the state's morgues for burial as mortuaries are filling up beyond capacity. He pointed out that the lack of space in state mortuaries was down to a backlog and not due to an increase in Covid-19-related deaths.
Sanwo-Olu said owners had two weeks to collect their deceased relatives, “Regarding essential movement, I would like to speak concerning funerals. One of the outcomes of this lockdown is that many families and households have had to postpone funeral plans for loved ones who have passed away before or during this period. As you might know, many Christian denominations do not carry out funerals during the Lenten Season. Funerals are typically kept on hold during this period, and scheduled for the period immediately following the end of Lent. Unfortunately, this year, the Covid-19 Lockdown coincided with the end of Lent, which caused many families and households to further suspend or put off funeral plans. Because of this inability to hold funerals, occasioned by the restrictions on movement, the mortuaries in Lagos State are now full and in urgent need of decongestion. Let me make it clear at this point that these are not Covid-19 deaths".
Children keep themselves entertained during lockdown in Lagos
Sofiat Kolawole, 8; Olatunji Adebayo, 11; and Amira Akanbi 11, pose for a photograph while holding pictures that they drew during the coronavirus outbreak, as they stand in front of their house in Lagos, Nigeria.
Sofiat who drew her school said: "What I drew now is different from what I normally draw before the lockdown because I miss my school... The lockdown has made me angry because I can't go to school." Olatunji said: "I drew a football and I miss playing football with my friends... I feel sad about the lockdown." Amira said: "I drew my teacher Miss Bada and I miss my school and my teacher... The lockdown has made me feel bad."
All schools in Lagos were closed on 19 March and remain closed due to lockdown regulations, despite calls for some of the private colleges to reopen.
Nigeria governors call for compulsory use of face masks in public
Nigerian state governors have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the compulsory use of face masks in public as confirmed coronavirus cases rise, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Saturday.
The 36 governors believe Buhari's approval is needed to ensure a uniform and coordinated policy at federal and state levels to tackle the virus, the letter from the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) said. The presidency declined to comment on whether Buhari had received the letter or would act on the advice. Two presidency sources said the request had taken the form of a suggestion to the president's task force on COVID-19. They said the task force would brief him on the suggestion on Sunday.
Nigeria reported 114 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing its total to 1,095, with 32 deaths. A total of 28 states have so far reported cases, and more than half are in the commercial hub, Lagos. With 200 million people, Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. Some 20 million alone reside in Lagos.
The governors want Buhari's next set of coronavirus measures to incorporate a lockdown on flights and on interstate movement, restrictions on large gatherings and overnight curfews, as well as making the use of face masks in public compulsory.
The movement of food, beverages, medical and pharmaceuticals, petroleum supplies and agricultural products should be exempt, said the governors, who on Thursday agreed to ban interstate movement for two weeks. Lagos and Ogun states, as well as the capital Abuja, are already under federally imposed lockdowns, while various states have instigated their own containment measures.
Cuba offers medical assistance to South Africa
More than 200 Cuban doctors and medical professionals are expected to arrive in South Africa on Sunday to help the country in its fight against Covid-19, according to Cuban Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson.
The 217 members of the "Specialised Medical Brigade" include family physicians, epidemiologists, biologists, healthcare technology experts, engineering experts, biotechnology experts and other specialists, the embassy said in a statement.
"In response to the request made by the government of the Republic of South Africa, the government of Cuba has decided to support the great efforts that are currently made by South Africa in containing and arresting the spread of the coronavirus," the embassy said.
Kenya records 7 new cases, total confirmed cases now stands at 343
Kenya has recorded seven new positive cases of coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total tally to 343 with 14 people dying from the cirus. In today's press briefing, President Uhuru Kenyatta said, "We extend our appreciation to the health and security personnel standing at the forefront of the war against the coronavirus pandemic. While we mourn the 14 who have succumbed, we celebrate the 98 recoveries we have seen so far".
Medical supplies arrive in Accra
A US Air Force C-130J aircraft from the 86th Airlift Wing in Ramstein Air Base in Germany arrived at Kotoka International Airport this weekend to deliver medical supplies to the Government of Ghana in support of its Covid-19 response efforts. The delivery included approximately 2,500 kilos of medical cargo and supplies provided by the US Naval Medical Research Unit Three (NAMRU-3) Ghana Detachment.
The medical supplies include ribonucleic acid, nucleic acid (RNA) extraction kits, reagents, viral collection swabs, universal and viral transport media to collect and store specimens, and the replenishment of other consumable lab supplies. They were originally ordered in January 2020 to support NAMRU-3 Ghana Detachment research efforts, specifically ongoing influenza surveillance, in partnership with Ghana’s National Influenza Center at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the Kumasi Centre of Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.
Anambra lockdown restrictions eased
Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has relaxed the coronavirus lockdown restrictions imposed on the state and has asked churches to commence full activities, Punch reports. In this evening's televised address, Obiano announced that markets are likely to reopen next week and churches will be able to resume full activities, but added that worshippers must wear face masks and observe the World Health Organisation’s guidelines during services.
Movement within the state is not restricted but state boundaries remain closed. “All food and household goods markets are to open with immediate effect," Obiano he explained. “I will meet with market leaders on Monday (27th April) for further discussion. A decision on reopening schools and offices will be announced soon,”
"Ah, that old chestnut, Sir..." man fined 600 euros for taking his goldfish out for a walk during lockdown
Breaking lockdown restrictions in Spain can be quite an expensive business - and even coming up with an imagative excuse won't get you off the hook with the Municipal Police Force.
The minimum fine for direspecting stay-at-home rules is 601 euros, and punishment increase with the severity of the offense - holding a party during lockdown for example might get you a 10,400 euro fine.
Yesterday in Logroño, in the La Rioja region - one of the major focal points for coronavirus infection in Spain, a man who was stopped by police told them that he had gone out "to take his goldfish for a walk". He was issued a 600 euro fine for his trouble.
Global coronavirus death toll passes 200,000 mark
Global coronavirus death toll passes 200,000 mark
Global deaths linked to the coronavirus passed 200,000 on Saturday, while confirmed cases of the virus are expected to hit 3 million in coming days.
Coronavirus forces Montpellier's Junior Sambia into 'artificial coma'
Montpellier's Sambia in 'artificial coma' after contracting Covid-19
The Montpellier central player's condition is reported to be stable after he was hospitalised last Tuesday with Covid-19 symptoms.
Africa coronavirus deaths pass 1,300
According to the ILKHA news agency, the number of deaths caused by Covid-19 in Africa has now passed 1,300.
World Malaria Day
A timely reminder that while Africa fights the coronavirus pandemic, vital resources are being pulled away from the annual battle against malaria across the continent. The WHO has warned that stretched resources and services could lead to a larger number of malaria cases this year.
ePremier League semi-finals and final: watch live online
Watch the ePremier League semi-finals and final live
Liverpool take on Manchester City and Wolves face Burnley in the semi-finals of the first ever ePremier League Invitational tournament, starting at 15:00 BST.
The funds generated by the ePremier League Invitational will go to the #PlayersTogether campaign, an initiative created by footballers in the English top flight to raise money to support the UK’s National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ePremier League: semi-final and final fixtures
SF1: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV) vs Raheem Sterling (MCI)
SF2: Diogo Jota (WOL) vs Dwight McNeil (BUR)
Final: SF1 winner vs SF2 winner
Watch live here:
South Africa lockdown restrictions continue to ease
After the announcement of a gradual scaling down of quarantine measures in South Africa, Trade Minister Ebrahim Patel said on Saturday that several sectoris would be reopened to aid the economy.
Coronavirus: US, UK, Germany studying Covid-19 passports
Despite the misgivings of the World Health Organization, the idea of granting freedom of movement to people with antibodies against the coronavirus is gathering traction across the world.
The International Monetary Fund on Friday said it would meet on April 28 to consider Nigeria’s request for $3.4 billion in emergency financing to combat the impact of the coronavirus.
Sources told Reuters that setting a date to take the request before the board is a sign the proposal was slated for approval.
Nigeria, which is reeling from the twin hits of the oil price collapse and the new coronavirus pandemic, requested the emergency funding under the Fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument.
This is concerning for Africans. They have seen a surge of 43% in cases and they are also reportedly very short on personal protective equipment. Sky Sports' report says lockdown will be almost impossible to enforce.
Rwandan officers accused of 'raping and killing' during lockdown
Rwandan officers have been accused of taking advantage of the lockdown measures to 'rape and kill' according to Human Rights Watch. Two people, at least, have been shot according to the group with women being raped for breaking lockdown orders say the BBC.
Locust-19 could have devastating effects on East Africa
At a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic, a number of countries in Africa are also battling locust swarms which are destroying crops.
"It appears that those who escape Covid-19 will soon face Locust-19," said Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank and a former Nigerian agriculture minister. "The last thing Africa needs now is a hunger pandemic."
Africa Covid-19 update: 08:30 WAT Saturday 25 April (09:30 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 2,809,979 cases have been detected worldwide, with 197,006 deaths and 789,069 people now recovered.
Nigeria: 1,095 cases / 32 deaths
South Africa: 4,220 cases / 79 deaths
Ghana: 1,279 cases / 10 deaths
Kenya: 336 cases / 14 deaths
African nations to get ventilators from Ma foundation and stress need for WHO help
African nations that lack ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients will receive some from the Jack Ma Foundation, an African Union official said on Thursday, as Nigeria stressed Africa's dependence on a properly-funded World Health Organization (WHO)to help it fight the pandemic.
Africa's 54 countries have so far reported fewer than 26,000 confirmed cases of the disease, just a fraction of the more than two million cases reported globally. But the WHO has warned that the continent could see as many as 10 million cases in three to six months, according to its tentative model.
With the pandemic driving up demand for protective equipment and medical supplies across the world, the African Union said it was working to set up its own joint procurement system.
Meanwhile, the Jack Ma Foundation has donated 300 ventilators, which will arrive in coming weeks. John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said states without any ventilators would be prioritized as they are distributed.
South Africa ease lockdown measures
South Africa will allow the sale of cigarettes as they start to slowly ease lockdown measures.
As of Saturday morning, 25 April, In Africa, there have been 29,840 reported cases with 1,328 deaths.
The most affected countries are Algeria, who have seen 415 deaths, Egypt (294 deaths) and Morocco (158 deaths).
There are currently no other countries with double digits deaths
Welcome to our live blog covering coronavirus in Africa. It's Saturday 25 April and we will be bringing you the latest, breaking news from the continent with opinion, comment and statistics. Here is a look at the coronavirus cases as of Friday 24 April in Nigeria.
Welcome to our live blog covering coronavirus in Africa.