Comoros has reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19, while Lesotho remains the only African country without Covid-19.
On Thursday evening, President Azali Assoumani declared, “On this day of April 30, 2020, the government declares the first case of COVID-19 on the Comoros.”
The confirmed case involves a man in his 50s who had contact with a French-Comorian national that recently traveled to France.
Assoumani assured, “The patient’s medical condition is gradually improving,” and added that the patient’s contacts were being traced.
Borders are currently closed in Comoros, and a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. is in effect. President Assoumani mentioned that a full lockdown has not been imposed yet because a significant part of the population earns a living through informal work.
“At this stage of the pandemic, we cannot afford to adopt measures that could lead to social and economic drama,” he added.
The president also confirmed that contact tracing is being carried out. However, a healthcare worker, who requested anonymity, informed AFP news agency that the announcement came “rather late”.
“Only one positive case? The president is funny. The [real] number is much higher,” she said.
With this new development, Lesotho remains the only African country without a confirmed case of Coronavirus.