Africa

Botswana, Zambia, Gambia and Kenya have detected a variant of the Covid-19 virus that was first identified in South Africa last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, attributed the spread to the movement of people across the continent. “It may also …

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the equivalent of $17m for the construction of 38 oxygen plants across the country. The West African country is grappling with a shortage of oxygen for Covid-19 patients amidst a second wave of the pandemic. The number of Covid-19 patients in need of oxygen …

The Central African Republic has declared a state of emergency as armed groups try to lay siege to the capital, Bangui. It will last for 15 days and allow the authorities to detain suspects without the authorisation of prosecutors. Rebel factions now control most of the country and are calling …

Residents in Lubumbashi, the economic capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo are denouncing an increase in chronic insecurity supposedly brought on by the curfew decreed on December 18 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Several women allege they have been sexually assaulted in their homes during robberies between 9p.m …

Sierra Leone is to impose a nationwide curfew and restrict travel in and out of the capital, Freetown, the Reuters news agency quotes the government as saying. The restrictions are being imposed because of an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases after the holiday season. From Monday, people wanting to leave …

According to the head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Africa’s Covid-19 case fatality rate is now higher than the global average, which is “worrying and concerning”. The continent’s death rate stands at 2.5% against a global average of 2.2% and the number of nations recording …

An international school in Tanzania has halted face-to-face teaching on one of its campuses after confirming a Covid-19 case among students. A second student is displaying symptoms but has not yet been tested. The school, UWC East Africa, said all learning at its Moshi town campus, in north-western Tanzania, had …

Ethiopia’s military has accused an unnamed “third party” of being behind its border dispute with Sudan, according to state-owned Ethiopian News Agency. Army Chief of Staff General Birhanu Jula on Wednesday said a “third party was behind the Sudanese army’s violation of Ethiopia’s sovereignty”. He said that Sudan should avoid …

Like other countries, Nigeria announces its own vaccine to fight against the coronavirus pandemic. It announces on Monday a project of 10 Billion Naira( $ 25,3m) to support the national production of vaccine in order to fight against the coronavirus pandemic throughout the territory. During a press conference in Abuja …

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says the country is determined to sign a new trade deal with the US despite a change in US president. The two countries initiated trade negotiations in July 2020. But in November, the US voted Republican President Donald Trump out of office and his successor, Democrat …