COVID-19: WHO warns African nations on easing of restrictions

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned African governments on the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions which could possibly lead to a resurgence of the deadly disease.

WHO in a statement by its regional director Matshidiso Moeti, asked African governments to strengthen testing and contact tracing and also said that African countries should remember that “no one is safe until we are all safe”.

“As Africa approaches one million cases, the continent is at a pivotal point,” Dr Moeti said at a press conference on Thursday.

She noted that five countries accounted for nearly 75% of all cases in Africa.

The continent’s total number of infections according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently about 800,000 and some countries have begun easing restrictions.

Other countries like Morocco have reintroduced restrictions after resurgence of cases.

This came after the United Nations warned that nearly seven million more children will suffer stunting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting food supplies across the globe.

Writing in The Lancet, a team of experts modelled the impact on 118 poor and middle-income countries and found the prevalence of moderate or severe wasting among children under five would increase by 14.3 percent, or an extra 6.7 million cases.

Wasting occurs when the body is so malnourished that muscles and fat begin to disappear.