Why are there so few cases of coronavirus in Africa?

Scholars still do not understand why there are so few cases of new coronavirus at Africa, although China – where the virus originated – is its main trading partner, as highlighted by the NewScientist publication.

Despite the official number of records of the disease in Egypt having been raised from two to 59, on the weekend of 14 and 15 March, encompassing 33 people who were on a Nile cruise in Africa, the numbers remain low compared to too much continents.

On the morning of Tuesday, March 10, there were 95 official cases on the African continent. However, the numbers have increased. On Saturday, March 14, the number of countries with hundreds of confirmed cases reached 23.

And in large part, transmissions occurred through contact with tourists who brought the virus, according to health authorities.

A virus spread in africa is frightening due to the deficiency of the health system and all the public health problems that already exist in the territory, such as

HIV, malaria, the tuberculosis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been committed to strengthening the capacity of African countries in testing the virus, as well as training health professionals to treat people infected by he.

At the end of January, only the South Africa and Senegal had laboratories to test for the virus. Currently, 37 countries have testing capacity.

WHO's Mary Stephen, based in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, considers the case count to be accurate. “I wouldn't say it's an understatement,” she points out.

“It will always be possible to lose cases and this has always been accepted in the UK,” says Mark Woolhouse of the University of Edinburgh in the UK.

However, considering the greater awareness in Africa, the lack of deaths linked to the coronavirus in African territory means that there are still no major outbreaks, he says.

"If there were major outbreaks, of the scale that Italy or Iran had, anywhere in Africa, I would expect those deaths to be well under the radar by now."

*With Exam information.

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