Cote d’Ivoire records first coronavirus case
Ghana is encircled within three West African countries that have recorded the deadly coronavirus, now known as COVID-19.
Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana’s neighbour on its western border, announced on Wednesday, March 11, that the infection had been detected in the country.
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“On 10th March, the Adjame-Plateau-Attecoube was notified of a suspected case of coronavirus. The patient was a 45-year-old Ivorian man who had returned from Italy who showed symptoms of fever, cough and flu,” parts of the statement said.
It added that “tests conducted on the patient proved positive for coronavirus.”
Ivory Coast, Francophone West Africa’s largest economy, is the eighth country in sub-Saharan Africa to register a case.
With Burkina Faso and Togo recording cases within a week, Ghana is now caught in a bubble surrounded by nations with reported infections.
The virus has claimed 4,391 deaths with over 22,026 worldwide cases, with the WHO describing it as a pandemic.
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There are now over 100 cases recorded in 12 countries in Africa.
Below is the number of African countries with infections.
• Algeria — 20
• Burkina Faso — 2
• Cameroon — 2
• Democratic Republic of Congo –1
• Egypt — 59 (includes 1 death)
• Morocco — 3 (includes 1 death)
• Nigeria — 2
• Senegal — 4
• South Africa — 13
• Tunisia — 5
• Togo – 1
• Cote d’Ivoire – 1