Botswana government released a statement today confirming the first case of suspected coronavirus. The Health and Wellness Department of the Ministry of Health said the suspected case was registered at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport today. The subject had just arrived from China aboard Ethiopian Airways.
The patient has been isolated at Block 8 Clinic in Gaborone. The government of Botswana is working hand in hand with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Coronavirus has been spreading at unprecedented rate and WHO declared it a Public Health Concern after 9,800 confirmed 200 deaths. More countries have closed their borders to China including Mongolia and Singapore.
Airlines have cancelled flights to and from China. As vigilance remains high, RwandaAir and Kenya Airways, said they would cancel all flights to and from Guangzhou, the southern Chinese metropolis, until further notice. There have been no confirmed cases in Africa.
If the Botswana case is confirmed, it would be the first confirmed case in Africa where it is feared that preparedness for such a highly contagious infection is low.
