Coronavirus Africa news summary: Wednesday 10 June

Burundi begins official mourning for President Nkurunziza

Burundi began an official period of mourning for President Pierre Nkurunziza on Wednesday, a day after the announcement of his death from a heart attack aged 55 shocked the impoverished East African nation he had ruled with an iron grip.

Wearing face masks and gloves to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, senior government officials, foreign ambassadors and religious leaders lined up to sign a condolence book opened in his memory at the presidential palace.

Nkurunziza's wife, Denise Bucumi, appeared to be absent. Air ambulance service AMREF told Reuters they had flown her to Nairobi on May 21 for medical treatment, but declined to confirm widespread reports in Kenyan media that this was for treatment for COVID-19, the lung disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Zimbabwe dismisses coup rumours, says country is stable

Zimbabwe's National Security Council (NSC) in a maiden news conference on Wednesday accused allies of the late former leader Robert Mugabe and some opposition officials of peddling rumours of an impending military coup and said the country was stable.

The NSC said speculation was intensifying that Mugabe allies living in exile were plotting a comeback with the help of elements in the military and the opposition. "For the avoidance of doubt, there is no coup in the making," Kazembe Kazembe, the home affairs minister in charge of the police and an NSC member, told reporters. "We would like to take this opportunity and assure the nation and international community at large that Zimbabwe ... is peaceful and stable internally."

Nigeria's House of Representatives passes 10.8 trillion naira budget

Nigeria's House of Representatives has passed a revised 10.8 trillion naira ($30 billion) budget based on oil prices at $28 per barrel. The budget is 300 billion naira above the budget submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari late last month, and increases the expected oil price by $3 per barrel.

The government had planned to cut its record 2020 budget due to the coronavirus pandemic and an oil price plunge, but the version passed by the House is above the 10.59 trillion naira level approved by Buhari in December.

Cross River State producing free PPE for schools

Cross River State has produced several thousand Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for students in public schools and government workers free of charge.

Governor Ben Ayade announced the move at the state-owned garment factory in Calabar, the Cross River State capital saying that the protective gears, which include face shields and PPE overalls, will be deployed to schools free of charge for the use of students as the state government commences trial resumption of public schools.

The coronavirus itself is frightening enough for Africa but the economic fall-out might be even scarier still.

Libyans wearing masks against the coronavirus Covid-19 buy fish at a stall in the Libyan capital Tripoli on June 10, 2020. - The war and the division of the country are weakening the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in the North African country. Libya, which has Africa's richest proven crude reserves and relies on oil exports for almost all of state revenues, plunged into years of violence with the toppling and killing of longtime dictator Kadhafi. (Photo by Mahmud TURKIA / AFP)

The president of Ireland worries about the inequalities in Africa and Latin America as the coronavirus continues to spread.

“Unfortunately there is no breakdown of the exact offences apart to say the number of employees nabbed were caught contravening disaster management regulations and other offences,” said a police officer spokesperson.. 

Egyptian municipality workers disinfect the Giza pyramids necropolis on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo, as protective a measure against the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. - Hotels have ramped up hygiene, archaeological sites have been sanitised and beaches cleaned up -- Egypt is gearing up to welcome back tourists kept away by the coronavirus pandemic. Egypt has since March halted air traffic and shuttered archaeological sites, museums and hotels to stem the spread of COVID-19. The North African country, like elsewhere, has in recent weeks started loosening confinement measures as it looks to slowly open up to tourists in the summer season. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

The argument goes that Africa learned a lot from the Ebola virus and made huge investments after that outbreak. That has helped them to be better prepared for the coronavirus. 

South Africa to look into the practices of some of the country's private hospitals

“We can't just fold our arms because this is a private sector. We are here so that everyone abides by the rules and regulations. Where there is wrong there must be consequences.”

And update on Africa's cases

South Africa with 52,991 have by far the most cases followed by Egypt with 36,829. Nigeria and Algeria are next on the list with numbers rising fast.

"We are not helpless"

A message from the South African presidency.

"Coronavirus-free" Tanzania declared

Healthcare spending in Nigeria to be cut

Funding for local, primary healthcare services will be cut by more than 40% this year in a revised budget expected to be passed into law in the coming weeks.

The proposed cuts could affect immunisations, childcare, maternal healthcare and family planning services.

Africa dissected

The first case of Covid-19 in Africa was reported in Kenya on 12 March.

This report looks in detail as the virus has spread across the continent...

Nigeria breakdown

The latest coronavirus figures from Nigeria, according to WHO data: 663 new cases were registered on 9 June.

Catch-up

Some of the headlines making the coronavirus news yesterday:

- Morocco to slowly ease coronavirus lockdown measures

- South Africa record 2,112 new cases on 9 June

- Senegal eases restrictions after protests

- Cigarette smuggling business booming in South Africa

- Coronavirus cases surge in Libya after repatriations

Africa Covid-19 update: 08:00 WAT on Wednesday 10 June (08:00 CEST)

According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 7,238,768 cases have been detected worldwide, with 411,279 deaths and 3,371,716 people now recovered.

Nigeria: 13,464 cases / 365 deaths
South Africa: 52,991 cases / 1,162 deaths
Ghana: 10,201 cases / 48 deaths

Coronavirus Africa live updates: welcome

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of Tuesday morning had registered over 7.2 million cases and now well over 400,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Join us for the latest news and developments as they emerge throughout the course of the day.