In a recent news release, the WHO raise concerns about the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Africa. The continent’s health systems are already fragile, and if the number of cases continues to accelerate, they will be overrun.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s Regional Director for Africa outlines the advance of COVID-19 in Africa:

“It took 16 days from the first confirmed case in [Africa] to reach 100 cases. It took a further 10 days to reach the first thousand. Three days after this, there were 2,000 cases, and 2 days later, we were at 3,000.”

Some countries, such as Kenya, Uganda, and the Republic of the Congo, have already implemented countrywide lockdowns. However, because many people in these countries live in crowded areas and work in the “informal sector,” it is important that they still have access to essential services.

To address this, the press release states, “governments must use these measures in a considered, evidence-based manner, and make sure that people can continue to access basic necessities.”

According to the WHO, they are already “pursuing innovative solutions to the region’s pressing public health problems.”