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Week-To-Date Update: Coronavirus across Africa

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Friday, April 24, 2020 / 06:11PM / United Capital Research / Header Image Credit: The New Humanitarian

According to the latest data from the Africa Centre for Disease and Prevention, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa grew by 30.8% WTD to 25,937. Also, the total number of deaths as a result of the virus advanced by 21.8% WTD to 1,242 while total recoveries rose faster by 41.5% WTD to 6,534. Notably, the sharp increase in the total number of cases was attributed to the increased testing capacity in some countries amid social distancing and lockdown implementations in many others.

Based on country by country analysis of the data, only 2 (Comoros and Lesotho) of the 55 African Union member states are yet to report any cases of the novel coronavirus. Furthermore, Ghana bucked the regional trend of extending the initial timeline for COVID-19 lockdown. This was as the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, lifted the lockdown (which had been in place since March 30th, 2020), on Monday, while maintaining the ban on large gatherings and schools as well as encouraging the wearing of masks.

Notably, the suspension of the lockdown in Ghana came as a surprise to many as the country is among the six African countries (Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Cameroon and Ghana) to have recorded more than a thousand cases of the virus. However, the Ghanaian President had since defended his decision, stressing the negative impact the lockdown was having on the nation's key informal sector as a major factor behind his decision to re-open the economy for business.

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