Angola yesterday confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus, while Mauritius recorded its first death as the virus spreads across Africa.
The continent has been slower to feel the impact than Asia or Europe, and most of its reported cases have been foreigners or people who have returned from abroad. But confirmed infections have started to accelerate, with more than 830 across Africa, according to a Reuters tally, and concerns are growing about its ability to handle a surge in cases without the depth of medical facilities available in more developed economies.
Angola’s first cases were two male Angolan residents who flew back from Portugal on March 17 and 18, Health minister Silvia Lutucuta told a briefing.
Zimbabwe reported its first case on Friday, and a second yesterday, while the island of Mauritius, with 14 cases, reported its first death, a person who had travelled from Belgium via Dubai.
South Africa, which has the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa, confirmed 38 news cases, taking its total to 240.
Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, plans to close its two main international airports in the cities of Lagos and Abuja from tomorrow night as the number of reported coronavirus cases rose to 22 from 12 yesterday.
DR CONGO REPORTS 
VIRUS DEATH
The Democratic Republic of Congo reported its first coronavirus death, along with five new cases, AFP reported.
The country has reported 23 cases total since March 10, and the death brings the total number of fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa to three, following those announced in Burkina Faso and Gabon this week.
The health minister confirmed the fatality, which occurred Friday, along with the new cases. “All are Congolese. Our teams are taking care of them,” Eteni Longondo said on Twitter yesterday. Though Congolese authorities did not offer information about the deceased patient, local media said he is a close relative of an unnamed minister who has herself tested positive. 
“I am a doctor before I am a minister. I care about the confidentiality of the sick, I cannot confirm today that any member of the government or anyone is sick,” Longondo told UN radio station Okapi on Friday.
Local media have reported that several ministers have been tested for Covid-19 in the country, though Justice Minister Celestin Tunda Ya Kasende said in a statement on Friday that he was not ill with the virus.
On Friday, the Congolese authorities also fleshed out preventative measures, especially in the capital Kinshasa, home to at least 10mn people where cases have so far been concentrated. 
In West Africa, Liberia reported its third confirmed case of coronavirus, DPA reported. The government suspended church and mosque services and closed schools until the end of March to curb the spread of the virus.