The World Health Organisation (WHO), Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, says the number of coronavirus cases in Africa is now over 248,000.
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The UN health agency gave the update on its official twitter account @WHOAFRO on Tuesday.
It stated that “there are over 248,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent – with more than 113,000 recoveries and 6,600 deaths’’.
WHO also noted that South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria had the highest reported cases on the continent.
According to the organisation, South Africa has 73,533 cases and 1,568 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 16,658 confirmed cases and 424 deaths, while Algeria has 11,031 confirmed cases and 777 deaths.
WHO said that Lesotho, Seychelles and Gambia are countries currently with the lowest confirmed cases on the continent.
It added that “Lesotho has only four confirmed cases with zero death, Seychelles has 11 reported cases and zero death, while Gambia has 28 confirmed cases with one death’’.
In a related development, WHO headquarters in a statement posted on its website, assured of monitoring cluster of COVID-19 in China.
“WHO is following up with Chinese authorities about a cluster of COVID-19 cases in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China.
“The officials from the National Health Commission and Beijing Health Commission had briefed WHO’s China country office, to share details of preliminary investigations ongoing in Beijing.
“As at Saturday, 41 symptomatic laboratory confirmed cases and 46 laboratory confirmed cases without symptoms of COVID-19 have been identified in Beijing.
“The first identified case had symptom onset on June 9 and was confirmed on 11 June.
“Several of the initial cases were identified through six fever clinics in Beijing.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that some of the initial symptomatic cases had a link to the Xinfadi Market in Beijing.
“Preliminary laboratory investigations of throat swabs from humans and environmental samples from Xinfadi Market identified 45 positive human samples (all without symptoms at the time of reporting) and 40 positive environmental samples.’’
According to the statement, one additional case without symptoms was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case.
“All cases are in isolation and under care as needed, and contact tracing is underway.
“Genetic sequencing of samples is also underway and rapid sharing of these results is important to understand the origin of the cluster and links between cases,’’ WHO stated.
WHO has offered support and technical assistance, as well as requested further information about the cluster and the investigations underway and planned.