ALGERIA HAS confirmed its first case of Covid-19, becoming the second African country to report the disease.

Abderrahmane Benbouzid, the country’s minister of health, announced on state television on Tuesday evening (February 25) that an Italian national who had travelled to the North African country on February 17 tested positive for the virus, which causes a disease known as Covid-19.

This follows Africa’s first COVID-19 case which was reported earlier this month in Egypt. 

Algeria is one of 47countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region.

Top priority

It is also one of 13 countries, which WHO has identified as a top priority for preparedness measures due to their direct links or high volume of travel to China.

Benbouzid said the patient has been placed in quarantine and was receiving treatment.

The patient’s home country Italy is the worst-hit European nation. It has seen almost a dozen people die and hundreds of confirmed cases as coronavirus continues to spread in the country’s northern region.

Highest risk

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa said: “This is the first case in the WHO African region. The window of opportunity the continent has had to prepare for coronavirus disease is closing. All countries must ramp up their preparedness activities.”

A recent report by The Lancet singled out Algeria, Egypt and South Africa as being among the highest risk countries for new Covid-19 cases in Africa, based on their direct links and volume of travel to China.