Africa steps up fight to ward off coronavirus

JOHANNESBURG

African countries are increasing efforts to avert the spread of the new coronavirus and some have suspended flights to China, where the virus has killed over 200 people.

The measures came after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Thursday the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.

They were also spurred by Botswana’s announcement on Friday that it registered a suspected coronavirus case.

Botswana government said the first-ever suspected coronavirus case in the country was reported on Thursday at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in the capital, Gaborone.

It said the suspected carrier travelled from China on an Ethiopian Airways flight. ''The suspected case is still under isolation … and investigations are ongoing,'' it said in a statement.

Consequently, Rwanda’s flag carrier RwandAir said on Friday it was suspending flights with immediate effect between the capital Kigali and Guangzhou, China.

In a statement, it said all airlines entering Rwanda are being informed that any passenger from China would be screened for potential exposure and might be quarantined for up to two weeks.

Kenya Airways also announced the temporary cancellation of flights to parts of China.

''We have decided to temporarily suspend all flights to and from Guangzhou, China, starting Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 until further notice,'' it said.

The airline clarified its flights to Bangkok would remain operational but additional precautionary measures, including screening of passengers and sensitization of crew members, are being enforced.

In South Africa, the Health Ministry assured citizens that measures are in place to detect, manage and contain any potential coronavirus case. It confirmed there had been no suspected cases in the country so far.

“Due to the current risk of … 2019-nCoV from Wuhan City, China, Port Health authorities have enhanced surveillance of all travelers from Asia, especially China,’’ the ministry said in a statement.

The continent’s most populous country, Nigeria, also said on Friday it was planning to isolate travelers from China and other countries affected by the outbreak.

On Thursday, Air Madagascar announced the temporary suspension of flights to and from Guangzhou from Feb. 1 until March 1.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Olarewaju Kola contributed to this story from Maiduguri, Nigeria