WHO ramps up COVID-19 support to hotspot countries in Africa

Our Reporter

THE first members of a surge team of health experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, to bolster the country’s response to COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, located in Brazzaville, Congo, said on its website that the surge team has already gone into quarantine in line with the national regulations.

A second group of experts will be deployed next week, it said.

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Altogether, more than 40 public health experts are expected to provide surge support, working with national and provincial counterparts on key areas of the response.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said:  “as the impact of the virus intensifies in a number of hotspots in Africa, so too are WHO’s efforts.

“At the request of the South African government, our experts will be embedded with the national response teams, working closely with local public health officials to address some of the urgent challenges the country is currently facing.”

Across the continent, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken varied trends: 10 countries accounted for 89 percent of new cases over the past two weeks.