Coronavirus - African countries face high risk of COVID-19 resurgence

Three countries face very high risk of COVID-19 resurgence, 20 face high, 22 moderate risk, and only one country faces low risk, according to the risk assessment of 46 countries

The risk of COVID-19 resurgence remains high in several African countries due to poor adherence to public health measures, mass gatherings, low testing and vaccination rates, an analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown. Three countries face very high risk of COVID-19 resurgence, 20 face high, 22 moderate…

Coronavirus - Africa: COVID-19 Genome Sequencing Laboratory Network Launches in Africa

Ongoing sequencing is already providing crucial information for determining the type of SARS-CoV-2 lineage circulating in some countries

With several African countries now expanding COVID-19 testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have launched a network of laboratories to reinforce genome sequencing of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, in Africa.…

Togo is first African country to end sleeping sickness as a public health problem

Sleeping sickness is caused by parasites which are transmitted by infected tsetse flies and is only found in 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa

Togo has received validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis or “sleeping sickness” as a public health problem, becoming the first country in Africa to reach this milestone. Sleeping sickness is caused by parasites which are transmitted by infected tsetse flies and is only…

Coronavirus - Benin: Airport testing expands Benin’s COVID-19 detection

Arriving passengers are systematically tested in one of the 20 booths using a rapid diagnostic as well as polymerase chain reaction test

Benin has set up a COVID-19 testing centre at the main airport in the capital Cotonou to boost early detection and containment of the virus. Unlike many countries in the region, Benin’s airspace has remained open since the outbreak began. Land borders were shut, however. Arriving passengers are systematically tested…

Coronavirus - Africa: WHO urges countries not to let COVID-19 eclipse other health issues

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa continue to rise, now exceeding 25 000

Public health systems in Africa are coming under severe strain as the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic persists. But as countries battle to bring the outbreak under control, efforts must also be maintained on other health emergencies and progress made against diseases such as malaria or polio preserved, the World Health Organization…

Coronavirus - Benin: Range of Digital Platforms set up to combat COVID-19 in Benin

Four days after Benin's first case of #COVID19 was announced, a range of digital platforms to combat both the spread of the disease and misinformation around it were promptly set up. https://bit.ly/2XyDVxU

Coronavirus - Benin goes on digital offensive against COVID-19

On the official pandemic website, the most visited portal, up to 16,000 hits are being registered per day

After the first case of COVID-19 was announced in Benin on the 16 March, within four days, the West African nation had set up a range of digital platforms to help combat both the spread of the disease and what the World Health Organization (WHO) has called “infodemic” of misinformation…

New milestone towards a polio-free world, but there is no time to relax

The last case of type 3 in Africa was detected in northern Nigeria in 2012

In another historic step for humanity towards a world free of polio, an independent commission of experts today certified – on World Polio Day – that the second of three types of the wild poliovirus had been eradicated globally. There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus types: wild…

WHO supports Five Countries to fight Lassa Fever Outbreaks

The largest outbreak thus far has affected 16 states in Nigeria

With five countries in Western Africa reporting outbreaks of Lassa fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) has scaled up its efforts to support the region’s response to the disease. While these outbreaks are occurring during the Lassa fever season in countries where the disease is endemic, the speed of escalation…

World Health Organization moves to contain Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak

Between 1 January and 4 February 2018, nearly 450 suspected cases were reported, of which 132 are laboratory confirmed Lassa fever

The World Health Organization is scaling up its response to an outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, which has spread to 17 states and may have infected up to 450 people in less than five weeks. From the onset of the outbreak, WHO Nigeria deployed staff from the national and…