COVID-19 deaths near 45,300 in Africa

By Rodrigue Forku

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AA) - The coronavirus death toll is now 45,282 in Africa, an update by the health institution of African Union showed on Monday.

The total number of cases are now over 1,881,300 across the continent and some 1,588,800 patients have recovered from the deadly virus, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) figures.

By region, Southern Africa has confirmed almost 824,000 cases, 21,300 deaths, and 750,400 recoveries so far.

In North Africa, nearly 573,500 people have contracted the virus which has killed more than 15,500 people, and around 447,200 people have recovered.

East Africa has confirmed over 228,000 COVID-19 cases, 4,400 deaths, and 153,500 recoveries.

Some 194,300 people have been infected in West Africa, where almost 2,800 people lost their lives to the virus and 181,816 people got over the disease.

Central Africa has the lowest figures in the continent with some 61,500 cases, 1,160 deaths and 55,800 recoveries.

South Africa, the hardest-hit country in the continent, recorded nearly 737,300 infections, with almost 19,800 deaths and 679,700 recoveries, according to the country's Health Ministry.

On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the citizens to continue to observe public health guidelines that remain in place to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

''When we fail to wear a mask at a social gathering, when we attend crowded events, we are not only putting ourselves and others at risk. We are also putting our economic recovery in jeopardy,'' he said.

Ramaphosa said mask-wearing, maintaining social distance and regular handwashing helped the country overcome the worst effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “They are still our best defense.”