Coronavirus: Africa faces the pandemic on Thursday, July 2

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The coronavirus epidemic has reached a milestone on the African continent with more than 10,000 people who have died from the virus since the health crisis, according to figures from the African Union Center for Disease Control. According to these same figures, more than 415,000 cases of coronavirus have been officially detected in Africa, more than half of which in the two countries most affected: Egypt (68,311 cases and 2,953 deaths) and South Africa. south (159,333 cases and 2,749 deaths) with 196,000 healings on the continent.

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• South Africa could tighten containment measures

The South Africa recorded 6,945 new infections in 24 hours, bringing to more than 150,000 the number of people infected. Health Minister Zweli Mkize has warned South Africans that they are preparing for continued peaks of contamination and death in the coming days. He also warned that tougher containment measures "may be necessary" to stem the pandemic in the country. 2,749 Covid patients lost their lives in South Africa.

• Nigerian regional health minister dies from Covid-19

The regional Minister of Health of Ondo State in south-eastern Nigeria , Wahab Adegbenro, died on Thursday July 2 at the age of 65 in a hospital in his state. According to Nigerian media, "  he died in an infectious disease hospital where he was receiving treatment  ". His death is believed to be linked to a Covid-19 complication. This death comes two days after the governor of the region Rotimi Akeredolu tested positive for coronavirus. Several officials of Ondo State fear to have been infected because they attended a meeting a few days ago in the presence of this governor.

• Domestic flights to resume in Nigeria

Nigeria has eased restrictions on the fight against Covid-19 by resuming domestic flights within a week. It was the Minister of Aviation who announced this Thursday on social networks. "  I am pleased to announce that the airports of Abuja and Lagos will resume their domestic activities on July 8, 2020,  " said Hadi Sirika, referring to the airports that serve the capital and the economic center of the country.

I am glad to announce that Abuja & Lagos airports will resume domestic operations on the 8th of July, 2020. Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri & Maiduguri to resume on the 11th. Other airports on the 15th. Date for international to be announced in due course. Bear with us, please 🇳🇬🙏🏽🇳🇬

He also said that the airports of Kano in the north, Port-Harcourt in the south, Owerri in the southeast and Maiduguri in the northeast would reopen on July 15. However, no announcement has been made for international flights which would remain prohibited.

Nigeria closed its airspace in March to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, which has so far infected 26,484 people and caused 603 deaths in the country.

• Senegal, 236 health workers infected

Health professionals are those on the front lines in all countries in the fight against coronavirus. They are the most exposed to contamination. In Senegal , more than 200 have been infected. "  Concerning the infected health workers, during our previous communication, we were in 136 cases, today we have a progression of 100, we are in 236 health workers infected in the health structure but also in the community  ", said Abdoulaye Bousso, director of the Center for Health Emergency Operations (Cous) of the Ministry of Health and Social Action. According to the official report, Senegal currently registers 6,925 cases and 116 deaths.

Regarding the resumption of international air traffic, "  the principle of reciprocity will be applicable to all States that have taken measures against Senegal  ", announced the Minister of Tourism and Air Transport, Alioune Sarr, Wednesday 1st of July. This statement "  following the decision of the European Union to ban the Senegal from the list of countries allowed to travel in its space  ." President Macky Sall announced the reopening of air borders from July 15, but the European Union has only reopened its borders to 15 countries. On the African continent, only Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Rwanda are concerned.

• Interns still on strike in hospitals in Madagascar

Grades 7 and 8 medical students have been on strike since Monday, June 29, to protest the difficult sanitary conditions in which they work in hospitals in the country in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. The care centers are facing an influx of people confirmed or suspected of being infected with the virus. These medical students are of great help in the fight against the epidemic. Their strike could be severely felt by the health system of Madagascar, which today has 2,303 cases for 22 deaths. They appealed to the authorities and denounced a lack of personal protective equipment. The risk premium that was promised by the head of state was only received by a minority of these interns.

• Egypt, reopening of the pyramids of Giza

After three months of closure due to the Covid-19 epidemic, this emblematic site of tourism in Egypt reopened to the public on Wednesday July 1st. The Egyptian authorities took this decision in order to relaunch tourism which has fallen sharply since the start of the health crisis, which has caused the closure of tourist sites and borders. This reopening comes in the context of a gradual easing of restrictive measures, while Egypt is the second country most affected by the virus with 68,311 cases identified and 2,953 deaths. The airports have reopened as well as one of the main museums in Cairo, the museum in Tahrir Square. Concerning the other cultural and leisure places, the government had announced in June, their gradual reopening.

Our selection on the coronavirus

• Listen to our Coronavirus Info column 

• Our  explanations  :
→  What we know about the mode of contagion
→  Disparities and inequalities in the face of the coronavirus
→  Triple therapy, Discovery… update on research
→  Remdesivir, antibodies and immunity
→  The race for the vaccine is in full swing
→  How to make a mask and use it well

• Our series  :
→ “  The response, country by country  ”
→ “  Words of nurses  ”

• After Covid-19, towards a new world?

• 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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