The Covid-19 public health emergency of international dimensions has only brushed central and southern Africa lightly until now. Public screening is in place especially at airports. Botswana, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Kenya have all reported suspected cases. However, outside of Botswana all have tested negative according to Africa News. Now a new case in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) suggests the small Covid-19 footprint in Africa may be stirring.
The Small Covid-19 Footprint in Africa May Be On the March
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced the news on Friday February 14, 2020. According to News24Wire, the case involves a woman from China who landed at Oliver Tambo (formerly Johannesburg) airport. She then entered Eswatini on February 6 through the Ngwenya entry point on the western side of the tiny, landlocked country.
Fortunately, she was detected – we don’t know how – and taken to Mbabane hospital in the nation’s capital city. There, a rapid response team is monitoring her while they await the test results from South Africa. Interestingly, Eswatini’s director of Health Services Dr. Vusi Magagula says he believes the twenty-seven-year old lady was symptom-free when she passed through Oliver Tambo and Ngwenya controls.
A Few More Things About This Coronavirus Incident
We suspect the lady traveled from Johannesburg to Ngwenya by road, possibly in a hire car. Then she spent the best part of week in Swaziland before developing a fever. Therefore, it seems the potential addition to the small Covid-19 footprint in Africa is the result of a local infection.
Did she catch it from another Chinese tourist perhaps, or are local people carrying the virus already? We have no way of knowing at present and it’s a worry. China’s ambassador to South Africa, Lin Songtian says if the case is confirmed he has ‘every faith’ South Africa is equipped and well prepared.
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