The Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has said public health initiatives on the continent have led to a drop in new coronavirus cases.

The centers’ director, John Nkengasong, told the BBC’s Newsday program that testing, contact tracing, and the wearing of face masks had helped curb the pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had previously said the Covid-19 outbreak in Africa may have passed its peak. On Monday it released fresh data that indicated Africa had reported a 12% drop in new virus cases.

READ ALSO:

COVID-19: Nigeria Records 195 New Cases, Total Now 57,437

Dr. Nkengasong said African countries had supported a joint continental effort:

“Our numbers reflect the public health efforts and leadership as the continent has rallied around a joint continental effort scaling up testing and following up contact tracing and very importantly masking. Our numbers reflect the public health efforts and leadership as the continent has rallied around a joint continental effort scaling up testing and following up contact tracing and very importantly masking.”

“This virus is in the community and without a strong community response and engagement, there’s no chance that we can fight and that is what we are doing. This virus is in the community and without a strong community response and engagement there’s no chance that we can fight and that is what we are doing.”

Dr Nkengasong said the continent’s experience with diseases like Ebola had helped countries to develop contact tracing measures that have helped in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the early interventions put in place by different countries also helped in containing the virus.

SOURCE: BBC