Africa COVID-19 cases top 60,000

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Total cases of the novel coronavirus in Africa officially reached 60,657 on Sunday with a rise of 2,911, according to an update by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

According to the update, 2,114 people have died due to COVID-19, while 20,792 recovered.

North Africa recorded the most cases with 21,500, while there were 17,900 in West Africa, 10,100 in Southern Africa, 5,800 in East Africa and 5,300 in Central Africa.

The most fatalities -- 1,200 -- were also registered in North Africa. Some 385 deaths were confirmed in the west, along with 205 in the south, 182 in the east and 100 in Central Africa.

More than 7,700 patients have recovered in the north of the continent, as well as 5,100 in West Africa, 4,200 in Southern Africa, 2,200 in East Africa and 1,600 in Central Africa.

South Africa has reported 9,400 cases so far, while 9,000 have been registered in Egypt. However, the death toll in South Africa is much less with 186, while Egypt has suffered 514 fatalities.

In West Africa, Nigeria has the highest death toll with 128, while the most deaths in East Africa were in Sudan with 64, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo with 41 in Central Africa. In terms of cases, Ghana had the highest in West Africa with 4,300, Djibouti in East Africa with 1,200, and Cameroon in Central Africa with 2,300.

Sudan has 1,200 cases, Somalia 997, Kenya 649, Tanzania 509, Mauritania 332, Rwanda 280, Ethiopia 210, Madagascar 193, South Sudan 120, Uganda 116 and Eritrea 39.