• On Wednesday, Tanzania announced 30 new coronavirus cases raising the total to 284 and 10 deaths.
• As of April 22, there were 946 coronavirus cases, two deaths and 113 recoveries in Djibouti
Heath Director-General Patrick Amoth and Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe in Nairobi on April 22, 2020/ MOH
NAIROBI -The government of Kenya is concerned by the spread of coronavirus in the region, Health minister Mutahi Kagwe has said.
“This past week alone, we have seen significant changes of infections in our own neighbourhood,” Kagwe said during a daily update press conference in Nairobi on Wednesday.
In particular, Kagwe said they are concerned by the rate at which cases have skyrocketed in Somalia and Tanzania.
“Covid-19 cases in Somalia have multiplied ninefold in a single week from 14 cases from April 13 to 237 by yesterday [Tuesday],” the Health Minister said.
There are now 286 cases and 16 deaths. Already, the Somalia government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Mogadishu and banned public gatherings in mosques, beaches and restaurants in a bid to impose social distancing.
He also noted that cases in Tanzania have increased sevenfold from 32 to 254 in the same period.
On Wednesday, Tanzania announced 30 new coronavirus cases raising the total to 284 and 10 deaths.
This is at a time that President Pombe Magufuli has insisted on holding prayers against Covid-19, even as WHO advises against social distancing.
Although Kagwe did not mention it, there is a problem in Djibouti, which is part of the Horn of Africa and an IGAD member.
As of April 22, there were 946 coronavirus cases, two deaths and 113 recoveries.
On Friday, April 17 Djibouti’s Ministry of Health announced 141 new confirmed cases, bringing the total number to 732.
Experts have pointed the huge numbers to be due to its location — connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden — and the fact that it hosts a number of foreign military bases. They include China, France, the US, Italy and Japan.
It declared its first case on March 18.
