Cameroon is now counting 75 confirmed cases of Covid-19. In a joint press conference Wednesday evening, the Ministers of Public Health and Communication said while one person died from the new virus, two people have recovered from the disease after being kept in solitary confinement for fourteen (14) days at the Central Hospital in Yaounde. The government says over 500 passengers who arrived from abroad are yet to be diagnosed. So far four regions have been affected by the virus, amid reports of how the government is concealing the exact figures from the public. Health facilities are without adequate safety measures according to medical staff and students.
Concerns have been raised over the deplorable nature of the Balikumbat hospital in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. With videos on social media showing the hospital completely deserted and void of human presence, many question the readiness of the facility to carry out its functions. Balikumbat has been one of the villages in the North West region hard hit by the ongoing anglophone crisis.
The personal engagement of President Paul Biya in the fight against COVID-19 has been questioned by most Cameroonians who say he has been very absent compared to his colleagues accross the Continent. President Paul Biya apart from a recent tweet during which he called on citizens to be calm and respect government’s measures, has neither addressed the issue nor disbursed financial assistance promised by government to effectively fight COVID-19. The financial assistance package is still awaited.
The director of the Limbe Regional hospital in the South West region has confirmed the presence of a suspected case of COVID-19 in his health establishment.
Speaking in Limbe today, he said the suspected COVID-19 case is pending diagnosis and confirmation. He however, called on the population to remain calm. This confirmation comes after the South West regional Delegate revealed the presence of three suspected cases of COVID-19 in the region. Unconfirmed sources say the victims are UN workers who came into Cameroon infected.
Opposition political party leaders in Cameroon have joint the government in the relay of preventive measures against COVID-19. Prof Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party, Akere Muna of the Now Movement, Edith Kah Walla of the Cameroon Peoples Party and Cabral Libii of the Cameroon Party For National Reconciliation have all taken to social media to sensitise citizens on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They demonstrate to citizens to ensure a regular hand washing process. Maurice Kamto is however worried that the unstable water supply in Cameroon might hinder the hand washing measure against Coronavirus.
The pioneer Director General of the National School of Local Administration (NASLA) has been named.
Mr Tanyi Tiku Baiye was appointed by a presidential decree by President Paul Biya this Wednesday March 25th 2020. The decision also appointed the Board Chair of the Institution.
Traders of the Kribi Central Market in the Ocean Division of the South region of Cameroon have gone on a protest demonstration against the Mayor-Emmanuel Sabikanda. According to local sources, the traders are accusing the Mayor of nursing a demolition plan to destroy their shops. The demolition plan of Mayor Sabikanda directly concerns shops around the section of the market specialised in the sale of dresses.
Varied interpretations in Buea-South West region of Cameroon following an unusual flood yesterday. While other denizens believe it was as a result of rainfall, some think the flood from Mount Fako is an early warning signal of an eventual natural disaster in the area. Residents where the flood swept across have been counting their material damages.
Political parties challenged to join the sensitisation process against coronavirus in Cameroon. Militants of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) on their part have undertaken sensitisation campaigns on how to prevent the virus from spreading in Douala today.
Despite a release calling on parents to keep their kids home and prevent the spread of coronavirus, children of school age continue flooding streets in Douala hawking items. In a release this week, the Minister of social affairs reminded parents that shutting schools was for health and not economic reasons.
Prisons in Cameroon have been pointed as potential coronavirus spreading areas. This is as a result of overpopulated prison cells with social distancing not being respected to prevent the spread of the virus. Last week, Barister Njong Henry Tita decried the population at Buea central prison in the South West region.
Civil servants in different towns in Cameroon queued in front of banks today to get their March salaries. Without respecting social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the civil servants violated instructions given by the Minister of finance.
The Minister of transport has threatened drivers and travel agencies that will violate government’s measures to limit the number of people in vehicles and motorcycles with heavy sanctions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Jean Ernest Ngalle Bebehe says the measure should be respected by all. In a joint press conference Wednesday evening, the Ministers of Public Health and Communication said while one person died from the new virus, two people have recovered from the disease after being kept in solitary confinement for fourteen (14) days at the Central Hospital in Yaounde. The government says over 500 passengers who arrived from abroad are yet to be diagnosed. So far four regions have been affected by the virus, amid reports of how the government is concealing the exact figures from the public. Health facilities are without adequate safety measures according to medical staff and students.
President Paul Biya has condemned Boko Haram’s latest attack on the Chadian military. In a message to Chadian president Idriss Deby Itno, President Biya extends his condolences to families of victims of the attack as well as the nation as a whole. 92 Chadian soldiers were killed in the attack with 47 others wounded.
Concerns have been raised over the deplorable nature of the Balikumbat hospital in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. With videos on social media showing the hospital completely deserted and void of human presence, many question the readiness of the facility to carry out its functions. Balikumbat has been one of the villages in the North West region hard hit by the ongoing anglophone crisis.
Ethiopia has announced plans to set free some 4000 inmates as it battles the coronavirus pandemic. The move it says will enable it better limit the spread of the virus in the country with 102 million inhabitants.
South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele has announced a reversal of the decision to let dog owners to walk their pets during the 21-day lockdown that comes into force on Friday to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize had earlier on Wednesday said that people would be allowed to jog and walk their dogs, provided they did it responsibly.
The Algerian Supreme Court has upheld jailed sentences for two former prime ministers who served under ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Ahmed Ouyahia and Adbelmalek Sellal were given 15 and 12 years prison terms. They were convicted of corruption, stealing of public funds, and granting privileges to the owner of a car assembling plant.
A senior government source in Nigeria has told the BBC that President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff has tested positive for coronavirus. There’s been no official comment. Often described as President Buhari’s “right-hand man”, Abba Kyari is reportedly in his 70s.
According to the Africa Centre for Disease Control, 43 countries on the continent have confirmed cases of Covid-19. Its figures show there have been more than 2,400 cases and 64 deaths so far. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned last week that Africa should prepare for the “worst”.
Ethiopian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed has warned that if the rest of the world does not help Africa to fight the Covid-19 outbreak the respiratory disease would return to “haunt us all”. Mr Abiy argued in an opinion piece in the UK-based Financial Times newspaper that country-specific strategies to deal with the health crisis were “myopic, unsustainable and potentially counter-productive”.
