Cape Town – Cameroon has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours compared to other central African countries, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Monday.
Cameroon recorded 197 deaths, the DRC 72, Chad 65, the Republic of the Congo 20, Gabon 17, Equatorial Guinea 12, while Sao Tome and Principe each recorded 12.
At least 5,564 more people in Africa tested positive for the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, according to the health agency of the African Union.
The total number of infections on the continent reached 147,099, said the organisation, with the death toll currently standing at 4,228.
The total number of recoveries climbed to 61,808 as 2,596 patients recovered over the past 24 hours.
North Africa recorded a total of 43,900 Covid-19 cases; west Africa 35,100, southern Africa 34,900, East Africa 17,000 and Central Africa 16,100.
In terms of the death toll, North Africa had 1,900 fatalities, west Africa 717, southern Africa 707, east Africa 513 and Central Africa 398.
The worst-hit country in terms of number of infections was South Africa, currently sitting on 32,700 cases. Egypt follows with 25,000.
In terms of Covid-19-related deaths, Egypt recorded 959 cases and South Africa 683.
In West Africa, Nigeria registered 287 deaths, Mali 77, Niger 64, Burkina Faso 53, Sierra Leone 46, Senegal 42, Ghana 36, Cote d’Ivoire 33, Liberia 27, Guinea 23 and Togo 13.
In East Africa, Sudan had recorded 286 fatalities, Somalia 78, Kenya 64, Djibouti 24, Tanzania 21, Ethiopia 11 and South Sudan and Mauritius 10 each.
In Central Africa, Cameroon reported 197 deaths, the DRC 72, Chad 65, and Republic of the Congo 20; Gabon reported 17 fatalities, Equatorial Guinea 12, while Sao Tome and Principe also reported 12 each.
Since the virus emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, it has spread to at least 188 countries and regions.