Africa faces an ‘existential threat’ as virus cases spread

CARA ANNA Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Some African countries will have more than 10,000 coronavirus cases by the end of April, health officials projected Thursday, as the continent least equipped to treat serious infections has an "enormous gap" in the number of ventilators and other critical items. While cases across Africa are now above 6,000 at what has been called the dawn of the outbreak, the continent is "very, very close" to where Europe was after a 40-day period, the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. John Nkengasong, told reporters. The virus "is an existential threat to our continent," he said. All but four of Africa's 54 countries have cases after Malawi on Thursday reported its first, and local transmission has begun in many place