With more than 5000 positive cases and 175 deaths across the continent, South Africa has imposed a military-patrolled lockdown
As the number of positive cases rises in the country, the South African government imposed a complete lockdown for three weeks starting from Mach 27 to fight the coronavirus pandemic. During the military imposed lockdown, around 57 million population has been asked to self- isolate. Several unprecedented measures have been taken including restrictions on jogging, dog-walking and sale of alcohol in order to curb the outbreak. Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Rwanda have also gone under complete lockdown. South Africa has recorded more than 1300 positive cases and 3 deaths as of March 31.
The total number of positive cases in the entire African continent is 5,371 with 174 confirmed deaths as of March 31. All schools, universities, businesses, shops and commercial establishments have been closed with exceptions to the pharmacies, health facilities, banks, supermarkets, and Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Apart from South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco have recorded 656, 584 and 574 positive cases respectively. The contagious nature of the virus has worried humanitarians and epidemiologists for the rapid spread of the pandemic in several refugee camps across Africa as the continent hosts millions of refugees, internally displaced and vulnerable people. The added fear of an estimated 2.5 million people living with HIV and not taking antiretroviral drugs in South Africa has worried the authorities amid lockdown.
