[ad_1]
Addis Ababa, December 26: The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has called for improved public health measures against coronavirus as the New Year’s festivities begin across the continent.
The continental disease control and prevention agency said that Africans celebrating Christmas and the imminent start of the New Year should adhere to public health measures, such as avoiding mass gatherings indoors and practicing social distancing, the news agency reports. Xinhua.
The Africa CDC also called on people to consistently apply hand hygiene practices to prevent the general transmission of COVID-19, including new variants of the virus found in Nigeria and South Africa.
The agency said that one in five Covid-19 infections on the continent are reported inside the home by people who come to visit, making it even more urgent to strictly follow public health measures.
Speaking during a virtual press conference on Thursday, CDC Africa Director John Nkengasong said people should celebrate the New Year holiday with care and safety at hand.
“Diligently following good public health practices can prevent a spike in Covid-19 cases in the next two months on the African continent.
“Covid-19 is also damaging African economies and represents serious damage to lives and livelihoods across the continent.
“We need to follow good public health practices at this unprecedented time,” added Nkengasong.
In its latest update on Friday, the Africa CDC said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases on the African continent has reached 2,597,090, while the death toll stood at 61,432.
A total of 2,177,981 people infected with the virus have recovered so far across the continent.
Disclaimer: This story is automatically generated from the IANS service.
Subscribe in 
