Brussels (dpa) - The European Union's top foreign affairs official
sounded the alarm on Friday over the spread of Covid-19 in Africa.
Europe is at the epicentre of the new coronavirus pandemic, but the
potentially lethal respiratory disease has also expanded in Africa,
where memories of the Ebola outbreak are still fresh in a number of
countries.
"Africa is a particular concern to us," Josep Borrell said in
Brussels, "They are our neighbours and the pandemic there could get
out of control very rapidly."
Covid-19 has hit Europe hard, claiming more than 35,000 lives so far.
But the continent is comparatively well equipped to deal with the
crisis, with a ratio of 37 doctors to 10,000 people, according to
Borrell. In Africa this ratio is 1 to 10,000.
It is crucial that sanctions in place on certain countries do not
prevent the delivery of medical supplies, the EU official stressed
after a videoconference with the bloc's foreign ministers.
EU development ministers are to discuss how to assist Africa at talks
next week, according to Borrell.