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WORLD NEWS Saturday 21 March 2020
Zimbabwe has 1st COVID-19 case while Africa cancels flights

Associated Press said coronavirus cases nounced days ago when
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — jumped to 202, the most South Africa declared a
Anxiety rose in Africa as two in the sub-Saharan region. national disaster. It was
major airlines announced Five of the new cases had working with airlines to en-
sweeping cancellations attended a church gather- sure foreigners' "return to
of international flights on ing of more than 200 peo- the country of origin."
Friday over the coronavi- ple in central Free State Foreigners across the con-
rus, the continent's busiest province. All had arrived tinent of more than 1.3 bil-
airport blocked foreign- from abroad. Authorities lion people face the grow-
ers from disembarking and were rushing to find other ing risk of being stranded as
Zimbabwe announced its attendees. countries close borders.
first case — in one of Af- Johannesburg's O.R. Tam- The financially troubled
rica's most visited tourist bo International Airport South African Airways an-
spots. The pandemic now said aircraft with foreign- nounced its immediate sus-
threatens a national health ers "will be contained at pension of all international
system that has nearly col- an isolated bay with all of- A boda-boda, or motorcycle taxi, driver wears a makeshift flights through May 31 as
mask made from a local fabric known as Kitenge as he looks
lapsed amid an economic ficials ensuring the utmost for customers in the Kibera neighbourhood of Nairobi, Kenya Fri- CEO Zuks Ramasia cited
crisis. care is taken," following day, March 20, 2020. travel bans and plummet-
South African Airways sus- up on travel restrictions an- Associated Press ing demand. q
pended all international
flights until June. Ethiopian
Airlines, Africa's largest car- Guinea defies virus for vote that could keep
rier, cancelled flights to
30 countries. That airline, leader in power
which operates a key con-
tinental hub, was under By BOUBACAR DIALLO pandemic, the coalition's
pressure from some in Af- Associated Press spokesman Sekou Koun-
rica's second most popu- CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — douno said they had no
lous country to halt flights The West African nation of other choice. They have
to high-risk countries. Guinea is defying the coro- said this year they will use
In Zimbabwe the health navirus pandemic to hold all means necessary to
minister, Obadiah Moyo, a controversial referendum prevent the vote on a ref-
said the infected man lives on Sunday that could allow erendum. More than 36
in Victoria Falls, a popular the president to stay longer people have died in dem-
tourist destination. in power. onstrations against the ref-
Moyo said the 38-year-old Nearly 5 million voters are erendum since October,
had travelled to Britain on registered for the vote, along with at least one
March 7, returning home which also will choose 14 gendarme.
via neighboring South Af- National Assembly mem- "It is up to the government
rica on March 15. He put bers. President Alpha to take all practical health
himself in self-quarantine Conde, whose second and measures against corona-
upon arrival and later currently final term ends in virus. It is not up to a social
called his doctor after re- December, might win the entity like (us)," he said.
alizing "he was not feeling chance to stand for two Conde, first elected in 2010,
too well," the minister said. more seven-year terms. is barred from running for a
Zimbabwe days ago de- Some civil society groups third term under the consti-
clared a national disaster. urge authorities to post- tution. While the amended
Public hospitals even be- pone the vote until the end constitution would keep a
fore the pandemic lacked of the pandemic. Guinea two-term limit and increase
basic items such as gloves, has two cases of the virus, terms from five years to sev-
and relatives of patients at according to the National en, Conde has implied that
times are expected to even Agency for Health Security. his previous terms served
provide buckets of water. However, the ruling party would not count.
Doctors at public hospitals has said the cases can- Faced with the risk of the vi-
recently went on strike for not prevent the rest of the rus and potential violence,
months, saying their pay of county from voting. The many residents have left
roughly $100 a month was election won't spread the the capital, Conakry.
not enough to get by in a virus, spokesman Amadou "I'm going to Sierra Leone. This is a Sept. 21, 2010 file photo of Guinea president Alpha
country with inflation at Damaro Camara said. My kids go to school, but I Conde at the People's Hall in Conakry, Guinea. Associated Press
over 500%. A coalition of opposition got them out," said Assiatou
Meanwhile the elite routine- and civil society groups, Bobo Sow, a clothes mer- tion if voters keep a meter kets, right? People went to
ly seek treatment abroad. the National Front for the chant surrounded by her away from each other. school right? People went
Vice President Constan- Defense of the Constitu- children at the train station. While many fled, others to mosques, right? To the
tino Chiwenga this week tion, which has been dem- "We leave Guinea despite remained, saying they will church, right?" asked Man-
flew to China for medical onstrating against the ref- ourselves. But we prefer this vote. Some pointed to the sa Fofana, a car salesman
treatment unrelated to the erendum, has called for to avoid coronavirus or a country's resilience in the in Conakry.
coronavirus. another demonstration stray bullet." devastating Ebola out- "Let's stop telling us that
Zimbabwe's government on Saturday and Sunday Dr. Sakoba Keita, coordina- break in 2014-16 that killed coronavirus can prevent
has said it is "well prepared" against the election. tor of the National Agency well over 10,000 in Guinea, daylong elections. I ask the
to deal with COVID-19 cas- When asked if calling for for Health Security, assert- Liberia and Sierra Leone. president to keep the elec-
es. mass gatherings was the ed that the virus can be "There has been Ebola in tion date and not post-
Neighboring South Africa right thing to do amid a avoided during the elec- Guinea. There are mar- pone it."q