Coronavirus: Africa faces the pandemic Saturday May 9

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Africa counted this Saturday, May 9, 58,918 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The Covid-19 has already claimed the lives of 2,172 people on the continent, according to the African Union Center for Disease Prevention and Control. South Africa and Egypt are the two most affected countries, with 9,420 and 8,467 cases, respectively. Morocco, Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Guinea follow.

Publicity

• Troubles in Sierra Leone, president accuses opposition

While Sierra Leone has registered 257 cases of coronavirus and 17 deaths to date, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio has accused opponents of the All People's Congress of inciting "  terrorist violence  ". In a televised speech on Friday evening, the head of state said that the opposition party was involved in outbreaks of violence that arose across the country. Opposite, the APC did not react at first.

Charges held after seven people died in an attempted escape and riot at a Freetown prison last month, linked to an inmate's coronavirus test. This Wednesday, May 6 again, fishermen attacked a police station and a clinic south of Freetown, because the authorities had limited the number of boats authorized to leave the port for reasons of social distancing.

• Continued increase in cases in the Sahel

At a time when certain African states are loosening their anti-Covid protection measure, the epidemic is far from over in West Africa. Particularly in the Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where the number of positive cases continues to increase.

In Mali, the pandemic is starting to reach isolated areas, at war with terrorist groups. This week, several Covid-19 patients were detected in the Mopti region, in the center of the country. Among the affected localities is Youwarou, a commune located in a flooded and difficult to access area, or Koro, isolated on the other side of the Niger river a few kilometers from Burkina Faso.

In neighboring Burkina Faso, the week of May 1-8 was also marked by an increase in the number of new cases. "  Because of compatriots from outside,  " said Dr. Brice Bicaba at a press conference on Friday. At the start of the week, the authorities decided to relax the protective measures. The places of worship are reopened and public transport has been able to circulate again. However, the borders are still closed.

• A European humanitarian bridge to the Central African Republic

From Lyon, in the South East of France, to Bangui. The European Union announced that it had set up an air humanitarian bridge on Thursday 7 May to ensure the activity of NGOs during the Covid-19 pandemic. The operation, which involves a series of flights to several countries, aims "  to show our European solidarity, which goes beyond the borders of the Union  ", said Janez Lenarcic, European Commissioner for crisis management, during '' a press conference at Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport.

► Read also: The EU launches a humanitarian airlift to the Central African Republic

In total, 70 humanitarian personnel and 8 tonnes of equipment (drugs, masks, gloves, hydroalcoholic gel, orthopedic equipment for the disabled ...) were announced on this flight. Two next connections will take place at the beginning of next week, to deliver 32 tonnes of additional equipment to Bangui. The stated objective is to perpetuate and strengthen the action of associations in the field.

"  The problem with this type of health crisis is comortality,  " said Joël Weiler, director general of Médecins du monde. "  The closure of the borders, the lack of flights, the impossibility of moving our staffs, the impossibility of sending equipment ... completely blocked the aid that we could bring to the Central African Republic,  " he said. he observes. This bridge responds "as  much to the need to fight the Covid-19 pandemic as to take charge and continue to increase our response to pre-existing crises  ," added Jean-François Riffaud, Director General of Action Against Hunger, citing, among other things, food crises, conflicts, difficult access to water and hygiene.

In total, the Humanitarian Logistics Network (RLH) has thus identified 37 destinations to be served, based on data consolidated by the NGOs.

• A health crisis threatening the electoral context in Somalia

In a report, the International Crisis Group said it was very concerned about the socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 in Somalia, a country with an already very fragile health system. The NGO thus speaks of a "  public health emergency in an electoral minefield  ".

The health crisis is indeed intervening in the preparation of an expected political moment, the document recalls, namely the legislative elections of November 2020 and the presidential election of February 2021. However, "  the opponents fear that the government will exploit the fears linked to the virus to postpone the elections, as a way to stay in office once the mandate ends,  ”warns the International Crisis Group. Any unilateral change in the electoral calendar should meet "  fierce objections and possibly violence,  " warns the NGO.

• “Clean hands” operation in Burkina Faso

A “clean hands to Covid-19” operation was announced in Bukina Faso, targeting some 71,000 fountain users. "  We are indeed going to put a pedal-operated hand basin and soaps available to users of 80 Uduma standpipes in the Center-North and Hauts-Bassins regions, using our own funds  ", says Jean-Christophe KI, director general of the Burkinabè company Vergnet Burkina (Ouagadougou), delivering the Uduma service in Burkina Faso.

• Calls for the lifting of containment in South Africa

In total, South Africa risks losing some seven million jobs due to the coronavirus epidemic, warned the Minister of Finance. The impact on the economy will be considerable. Authorities have already relaxed travel restrictions this week, but some economic players are calling for a complete lifting of the containment. Especially since, if South Africa is already the most affected country on the continent with 9,420 reported cases, the coronavirus epidemic is far from over, warn many doctors.

► Read also: Coronavirus: calls for the lifting of containment are increasing in South Africa

• Football soon to return to Burundi, still suspended in Benin

After being the last African country to suspend football competitions on its territory, officially for reasons of reorganization of the calendar, Burundi announced on Saturday May 9 the dates for resumption.

#Burundi Through its correspondence with the club presidents, the competition committee has announced the date for the resumption of the League A and League B championships as well as that of the dedicated Cup for the President of the Republic. # Brarudi #FFB #Football
👇👇 👇 pic.twitter.com/7b6f5PJit5

According to a letter from the Federation sent to club presidents and relayed on social networks, the President's Cup, like the first and second division championships, can be played again from May 21. Or the day after the presidential, legislative and municipal elections planned in the country.

In Benin, on the other hand, the Football Federation decided this Saturday to maintain the suspension of the national championships. A decision announced at the end of an executive committee meeting held in the capital, Porto-Novo. The Federation thus set itself until June 15 to observe if the situation persists, in which case it "  will no longer be able to decide to resume the championship, which means that it would be canceled,  " explained the secretary general of the institution.

Our selection on the coronavirus

• Listen to our daily chronicle  Coronavirus info

• The practical questions  :
→  What is known about the mode of contagion
→  disparities and inequalities in coronaviruses: what to remember
→  What outcomes for clinical trials?
→  A vaccine, the only solution to stem the pandemic?
→  How to make a mask and use it well

• Our series  : "  The response, country by country  "

• Each evening, find the State of the world and Africa facing the pandemic

• See also the files of RFI Savoirs on the Covid-19:
→  Birth of a pandemic
→  Everyday life put to the test
→  The history of epidemics
→  Science facing the Covid-19
→  The geopolitical consequences

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