Second VP of Burkina Faso parliament dies from coronavirus
The Second Vice President of the Burkinabè Parliament, Marie Rose Compaoré, has died after suffering from the novel coronavirus, the National Assembly announced Wednesday.
The Sahel state of Burkina Faso on Wednesday announced its first death from coronavirus, which is also the first known fatality in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We recorded the death overnight of a female patient aged 62, who suffered from diabetes and was in intensive care,” Burkina’s national coordinator for responding to the virus, Professor Martial Ouedraogo, told the press.
With the addition of seven new cases, “the number of patients (in Burkina Faso) stands at 27, comprising 15 women and 12 men”, Ouedraogo said.
The tally includes a case in the town of Bobo Dioulasso, the first outside the capital Ouagadougou.
Africa has lagged behind the global curve for coronavirus infections and deaths, although the reasons for this are unclear.
As of Wednesday, a tally of reported cases, compiled by AFP, stood at 576 for all of Africa.
Of these, 15 cases have been fatal: six in Egypt, five in Algeria, two in Morocco, one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso.
Experts have sounded loud warnings about the vulnerability of sub-Saharan countries to the highly contagious respiratory virus.
Many countries are at high risk, given weak health systems, poverty, urban slums, porous borders and poor sanitation.
A 2016 analysis by the Rand Corporation, a US thinktank, found that of the 25 countries in the world that were most vulnerable to infectious outbreaks, 22 were in Africa — the others were Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti.
The report put the finger on a “disease hot spot belt” extending on a line of countries, running across the southern rim of the Sahara through the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, many of which are struggling with conflicts.
“Were a communicable disease to emerge within this chain of countries, it could easily spread across borders in all directions, abetted by high overall vulnerability and a string of weak national health systems along the way,” the report warned.
On Saturday, Burkina Faso ordered the closure of all schools and a ban on all public and private gatherings until the end of April.
On behalf my family and all Liberians, please accept our condolences as you observe your time of lost.
I should have been traveling back home to Africa the first week of April, but for the safety of our African nations, i would rather stay than to carry any infections on our continent. Bravo to the leaders of our continent for the tough decisions they’ve made for our people.
May the souls of thjs sister and all the rest rip.
Their talking about week medical system in Africa when there is Ebola we fight it now the European have their hone test to prove them please let the world came together let fight it ones as for all
All the time the western world thinking Africa we don’t know nothing we are law abiding people we have love when their is a problem our medical staff and doctors are doing great with the little we have here I am in Italy lock down for ten days now number is increasing for my country in the time of Ebola just 3 days we see different problem of Africa is our leaders are not serious God bless Africa
As a Liberian Journalist I want register my sincere condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Burkina Faso, I also say Kudos to the media in Africa for the report and updates on the Covid-19 virus.
May her soul rest in PERFECT peace, and let this serve as a warning to all AFRICAN leaders that this virus MUST be treated with seriousness and not the usual politics.