Africa CDC Urges States to Take Collective Prevent Measures against Coronavirus

Addis  Ababa January 28/2020( ENA) Africa Center for Diseases Control called on AU member states today to take collective actions in fighting coronavirus through preventive measures.

Briefing journalists, Africa Center for Diseases Control (Africa CDC) Director Jhon Nkengasong said member states of African Union need to collaborate to prevent the outbreak of the virus.

Preventing and controlling the disease needs collective action among African states and other international organizations since it is difficult to  unilaterally handle the spread of the virus, he added.

Though the existence of the virus is not confirmed in Africa, there have been 4,474 confirmed cases of the virus worldwide, and 4409 of the total confirmed cases are found in China, it was learned.

Africa CDC has activated the incident management system engaging several African Union member states through their national public health institutes on enhanced airport screening, laboratory support, and care and treatment of patients, partnering with the Institute of Pasteur Senegal to hold training for 15 member states next week, he stated.

Washing hands regularly with soap and disinfectants, receiving recommended vaccines, trying to obtain influenza vaccine, not sneezing into the air and going to a medical facility immediately, if notified severe symptoms such as difficulty in breathing observed are the recommended preventive measures.

The coronavirus disease outbreak is caused by a new strain of virus that has so far affected China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, France, USA, Vietnam, Nepal, Canada, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Germany.