Coronavirus summary: Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana... cases, deaths and news
George Floyd death sparks protests in US: latest updates, 3 June
Africa Covid-19 update: 01:00 WAT on Wednesday 3 June (02:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 6,333,760 cases have been detected worldwide, with 378,240 deaths and 2,705,306 people now recovered.
Nigeria: 10,578 cases / 299 deaths
South Africa: 35,812 cases / 705 deaths
Ghana: 8,297 cases / 38 deaths
People practice social distancing as they queue outside a Telkom branch during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Johannesburg, South Africa.
REUTERS/Marius Bosch
Nigeria's president backs embattled African Development Bank chief
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday gave his backing to the head of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, in his re-election bid despite allegations of improper conduct.
Adesina, who served as Nigeria's agriculture minister before taking the AfDB's top job in 2015, has been accused of abuse of office by a whistleblower at the bank including favouritism in hiring.
Adesina, who denied the allegations, was later cleared of wrongdoing in an internal investigation.
But U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin signed a letter to the bank's board on May 22 rejecting the internal investigation.
The United States, AfDB's second-largest shareholder after Nigeria, is demanding a new independent investigation, saying it has reservations about the integrity of the banks process.
Latest Nigeria figures
The Nigerian arm of the World Health Organisation confirmed 241 new Covid-19 cases today in the West African nation.
Malawi daily Covid-19 figures issued
The Ministry of Health earlier announced that 22 new cases had been confirmed in the country. To date 4 individuals have died as a result of contracting the virus.
Egyptians largely follow law on wearing masks
Most Egyptians appear to be following a new law that says they must wear face masks in public, the latest move by the authorities to slow the spread of the coronavirus as reported cases rise.
The law, which came into effect on Saturday, adds to measures including closing airports to international travel, shutting restaurants and suspending school classes.
Those who fail to comply with the rules on masks risk a fine of around $252.
Nigerian Senate approves president's request for $5.5 bln in external borrowing
Nigeria's upper chamber of parliament on Tuesday approved President Muhammadu Buhari's request for $5.51 billion in external borrowing from international lenders.
The borrowing is part of a revised budget for 2020. The revisions allow for the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and a sharp drop in oil prices, which has dented Nigeria's spending plans because oil sales make up 90% of its foreign exchange earnings.
The money from the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank, World Bank and Islamic Development Bank is to fund the deficit.
S.African High Court says some lockdown restrictions invalid, gov't says
South Africa's cabinet said on Tuesday it had taken note of a High Court judgement declaring its coronavirus restrictions as unconstitutional and that it was studying the judgment, though the lockdown remained in force for now.
A statement from the cabinet said the court had declared restrictions under the third and fourth levels of South Africa's five-level lockdown system as invalid, but suspended the order for a period of 14 days.
Hu Weifeng dies
Hu Weifeng, one of the doctors in China whose skin changed colour after receiving a treatment for Covid-19, has died as a consequence of the disease, four months after becoming infected. The 42-year-old worked as a urologist in the original epicentre of the disease, Wuhan.
People practise social distancing as they queue outside a Telkom branch during the coronavirus outbreak in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: REUTERS/Marius Bosch)
Zimbabwe tightens lockdown in capital
Zimbabwean troops and police on Tuesday tightened the coronavirus lockdown in the capital Harare, blocking many cars and buses from entering the central business district as cases of infections increased.
The main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government was trying to suppress protests over a worsening economy and to stop MDC supporters from gathering at the courts where the lawyer for its leader was due to appear after being arrested on Monday.
Coronavirus infections have more than tripled to 203 in the last few days. Mnangagwa had eased the lockdown since it was first imposed at the end of March. (Reuters)
Nigeria Facebook rumours debunked
Rumours have been circulating on social media that the Nigerian government implemented a lockdown to allow Chinese telecommunications companies to build 5G masts. However, AFP fact checker Máyọwà Aláìnírònú Tijani has ascertained that 5G is yet to be introduced in the African country.
Ugandan economy to take major hit as coronavirus hits tourism
Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, said in a speech on Monday that the country stands to lose $1.6 billion a year as a result of the impact of coronavirus on its tourism industry.
Senegal delays schools restart after positive tests
Senegal has postponed the restart of schools until further notice after several teachers tested positive for the coronavirus, the education ministry said late on Monday.
Schools were scheduled to gradually resume on Tuesday, after weeks of shutdown due to the pandemic.
Senegal has recorded 3,739 positive Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, with 43 deaths.
An education ministry statement said teachers tested positive for coronavirus in Ziguinchor, in the Casamance area, south of the country.
It said Senegal's President Macky Sall decided to "postpone the restart of classes until a later date, in order to avoid any risk of the virus spreading in schools." (Reuters)
June 2 openings in Nigeria
The country’s task force on coronavirus said that only regular religious gatherings would be allowed and worshippers should follow guidelines on preventing the spread of Covid-19 such as social distancing.
Banks and other financial institutions will also be allowed to open fully and domestic flights will resume from 21 June.
Catch-up
Some of the headlines that were making the news in Africa yesterday:
- Congo confirms new Ebola case, 1,000 km from eastern outbreak
- NDC calls for audit into government Covid-19 spending
- Nigeria "has yet to reach peak of Covid-19 cases"
- Zimbabwe summons US ambassador over comments on Floyd protests
Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now seen well over six million cases worldwide.
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