Sub-Saharan Africa Shuts Borders, Schools to Contain Virus

(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster to combat the spread of the coronavirus as his counterparts in sub-Saharan Africa took similar steps to curb the threat in a region that accounts for only 1% of global health-care spending.

Ramaphosa’s measures ranged from halting flights from nations struggling to control the virus, closing 35 of the country’s 53 land border posts, banning gatherings of more than 100 people and shutting schools from March 18. He also said the government plans economic interventions, without giving details.

“This situation calls for an extraordinary response,” he said in a televised speech on Sunday, urging South Africans to cooperate and work together to minimize the impact of the outbreak. “There can be no half measures.”

With a total of 62 infections, Ramaphosa said there is evidence of transmission within the country for the first time rather than just infections contracted by people who had traveled overseas.

“The greatest danger to our country at this time are fear and ignorance,” he said. “We cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by fear and panic.”

Slow Spread

While sub-Saharan Africa has so far recorded relatively few local transmissions, most governments are reacting swiftly by restricting access, prohibiting religious and cultural events and closing schools. More than 300 people have so far tested positive for the coronavirus in 30 African countries, many of them recent travelers to Europe or the U.S.

Africa’s economic growth could slow to 1.8% this year from 3.2% as global supply chains are disrupted and investments drop, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burundi and Gabon also halted entry of travelers from countries most affected by the disease. The five nations will only allow in citizens and foreigners with residence permits provided they go into quarantine upon arrival. The Indian Ocean archipelago of Seychelles, which relies heavily on tourism, banned all crews and passengers of cruise ships from disembarking.

Liberia won’t accept any travelers from countries with more than 200 cases after the head of its Environmental Protection Agency bypassed protocols at the airport and became the first confirmed patient on Monday. Other countries, including Mali and Botswana, stepped up screening of travelers at airports and land borders.

‘Act Together’

Large public and private events have been banned in a range of West African nations, with Senegalese President Macky Sall canceling the country’s most important religious festival due to take place later this month following a surge in cases to 26 from 10. That includes 17 contacts of a Senegalese national who recently returned from Italy.

“I call on my African colleagues to act together,” Sall said on Twitter. “Africa must not be the new focus of the disease.”

Senegal, Rwanda, Ghana and Namibia instructed schools and universities to close, while Kenya is shutting primary and secondary schools from Monday and universities by Friday.

In Guinea, President Alpha Conde banned all large gatherings even as his administration prepares to hold a controversial referendum on March 22 to change the constitution. Conde didn’t say whether the referendum will go ahead. Burkina Faso said last week it’s reviewing the use of public bathhouses and both Gabon and Ivory Coast closed its nightclubs.

--With assistance from David Malingha, Ougna Camara, Eric Mbog Batassi, Simon Gongo, Festus Poquie and Leanne de Bassompierre.

To contact the reporters on this story: Pauline Bax in Johannesburg at pbax@bloomberg.net;Katarina Hoije in Abidjan at khoije@bloomberg.net;Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: John McCorry at jmccorry@bloomberg.net, Antony Sguazzin

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