In the summer of 2014, airports and health centres around the world were put on red alert as the Ebola virus threatened to choke many countries in a vice-grip. It was eventually contained – at the cost of a few lives, of course – but nearly six years later, another virus has taken the world by storm, and once again Africa’s health and security institutions are facing a stern test of competence.
The Coronavirus, first detected in the Hubei province of China, has claimed over 300 lives so far, with over 14,000 people reportedly infected. However, experts say that the total number of cases could be far higher than the official figures: estimates provided by the University of Hong Kong state that more than 75,000 people may have been infected in the city of Wuhan, which is at the epicentre of the outbreak.
The U.S.A and Australia have stated that they would deny entry to any foreign visitors who have recently been to China. Countries like Japan, Italy, Singapore, South Korea and Russia have also announced travel restrictions.
The African continent now has cause to be worried, too, as potential cases of the virus have surfaced in Eastern and Western Africa. A 34-year-old student who arrived in the Ivory Coast from Beijing on Sunday January 26 was reported to have exhibited some symptoms of the virus, while a Kenya Airways passenger who entered Nairobi from Guangzhou on Tuesday January 28 was also said to have displayed flu-like symptoms. Four passengers who flew in from China have also been quarantined at Addis Ababa, three of them being students at Wuhan.
Airports across the continent have intensified pre-entry screening process, with significant emphasis on temperature measurement. Ethiopia’s Bole International Airport now has two fever testing areas, Kenyan airports now require screening by health authorities before boarding aircrafts, and Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control is collaborating with airport authorities to implement exit screening measures for passengers.
Regulating the spread of the virus, however, may not be a particularly seamless task. For one, the coronavirus has an incubation period of two to fourteen days, which means that symptoms may not be detected early enough and infected persons may be travelling without being aware of the need to be quarantined. Beyond that, many Chinese nationals see Africa as a prime destination for business and tourism, and with China’s Lunar Year celebrations coming to an end, many people are expected to take flights into the continent, which could potentially cause a major strain on disease prevention resources and health facilities across African airports.
The situation is also difficult for Africans who are still “trapped” in China. Since a lockdown was imposed on Wuhan and expanded to universities across China, nearly 60,000 African students have been exposed to unfavourable conditions, including food shortages, overcrowding of hospitals, and reduction in supply of masks and hand sanitisers.
To avoid a repeat of the chaos that accompanied the Ebola scourge in 2014, African countries need to do a lot more than provide handwash liquids and thermometers at airports. More facilities are needed, and it is also important for governments to collaborate with the World Health Organisation (WHO). A lot of vigilance and transparency is also required in screening foreigners and returnees making their way back to the continent. There’s hope that this virus can be nipped in the bud early enough, but Africa must be committed in implementing preventive mechanisms.