3,700 newly diagnosed with COVID-19 across Africa

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Some 3,719 new cases of the novel coronavirus were recorded over the last 24 hours across Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Saturday morning.

Bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in Africa to 57,746, the daily update saw the continent-wide death toll grow by 77 to reach 2,151.

It added that 715 patients had recovered in the 24-hour period, with the total tally now at 19,351.

North Africa confirmed the most cases of the virus across the continent's five geographical regions with 20,600 cases, followed by West Africa with 16,900, Southern Africa with 9,500, East Africa with 5,600 and Central Africa with 5,200.

The most COVID-19-related deaths were also reported in North Africa with 1,200 fatalities, while in West Africa this figure was 361, 202 Central Africa, 194 in Southern Africa and 168 in East Africa.

In terms of recoveries, 7,400 were confirmed in North Africa, 4,900 in the west, 3,400 in the south, 2,200 in the east and 1,600 in Central Africa.

South Africa has the most cases of all African countries with 8,900 and 178 fatalities, while Egypt has recorded 8,500 patients of which 503 have died.

In West Africa, Nigeria has suffered the most deaths with 117, followed by Burkina Faso with 48 and Niger with 44. In East Africa, Sudan has recorded 59 deaths, Somalia 44 and Kenya 24. Cameroon has the most deaths in Central Africa with 108, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo with 39 and Chad with 27.

The small East African country of Djibouti has recorded 1,100 cases, greatly surpassing its much larger neighbor Ethiopia which has 194 cases so far.