JOHANNESBURG — An estimated 190,000 people in Africa could die of COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic and the disease could “smolder” across the continent for years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. ADVERTISEMENTBut the projected number of infections and deaths is based on the assumption that no containment measures are taken. Algeria, South Africa, and Cameroon, as well as several smaller African countries, are at high risk if containment measures are not prioritized, it said. As many as 5.5 million Africans could require hospitalization for COVID-19, which would severely strain the health resources of many countries. ADVERTISEMENT“The importance of promoting effective containment measures is crucial, as the sustained and widespread transmission of the virus could severely overwhelm our health systems,” said Dr. Moeti.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 08, 2020 12:56 UTC