Africa reports 5,351 Covid-19 cases past 24 hours

Experts say continent needs to raise testing capacity from 1m to 10m per day

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: Africa has reported 108 Covid-19 related deaths over the past 24 hours taking the total death toll to 4,609, an update released by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday said.

According to the update, the total tally of coronavirus cases in the continent has now reached 162,673 of whom 70,475 patients have recovered. Over the past 24-hours, 5,351 people were tested positive.

The number of active cases, therefore, has increased to 87,597 as the virus is spreading across the continent.

Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Africa said the continent should improve its testing capacity to 10 million people per day. Currently, only one million people are getting tested each day.

North Africa has reported the maximum number of 48,000 cases, followed by Southern Africa with 40,000 cases. West Africa has reported 37,700, East Africa 19,100, and Central Africa 17,700 cases.

In terms of the death toll, North Africa recorded 2,100 fatalities, Southern Africa 817, West 758, East Africa 561, and Central Africa 413.

Africa has reported 108 Covid-19 related deaths over the past 24 hours taking the total death toll to 4,609, an update released by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.