This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa has so far reported relatively few deaths, but experts warn that the continent is not out of danger yet.
According to Deputy Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, the quick response by different countries and less mobility of people in the continent have saved it so far.
"Africa is different because we started acting quickly," Ouma said in an interview with Anadolu Agency. "When we saw the pandemic spreading, we began to prepare. And governments began to put in place mechanisms to identify those who may have the disease, to test them and to follow up those who may have been exposed."
He attributed the continent's relatively low death toll to its past experiences with diseases that have devoured many lives in African countries, which prompted early action. Additionally, the less mobility of people and the absence of a rapid transport system have also made a difference.
"The second difference is that in Africa the modes of travel are not the same as the rest of the world," Ouma explained. "Someone in Addis Ababa is unlikely to go outside the city frequently. And the modes of transport are poor. In other parts of the world, air travel is the most common means. And people travel quite frequently, which also made the virus to travel fast."
However, Ouma cautioned that it was not time to celebrate, as the continent is not completely out of danger. He warned that complacency could lead to disaster, and urged vigilance to prevent a sharp increase in infected people.
"We must remain vigilant to make sure we do not have many infected people," he said. "It will be a disaster in the continent."
He also complained that lockdowns across the continent have affected medical and other supplies, and called for solidarity flights to transport essential goods.
According to the U.S.-based John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre, northern Africa has taken over southern Africa as the most affected region in terms of cases and deaths. Egypt has reported 3,490 infected cases with 264 deaths, while South Africa has registered 3,465 cases and 58 deaths.
East Africa has been least affected so far, with Djibouti and Ethiopia reporting 945 and 114 confirmed cases, respectively.
Like the rest of the world, Africa is likely to witness a sharp decline in productivity, loss of jobs, and revenues due to the pandemic. Cities, which are engines of economic growth, face considerable risks, and the effects are likely to be severe in urban areas.
"The urban economy [manufacturing and services] currently account for 64% of GDP in Africa," said Thokozile Ruzvidzo, director of the Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
She warned that firms and businesses in African cities are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 related effects, especially SMEs which account for 80% of employment in Africa.
"Additionally, urban consumption and expenditure [on food, manufactured goods, utilities, transport, energy, and services] are likely to experience a sharp fall in light of COVID-related lockdowns and reduced restrictions," Ruzvidzo said.
