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Greece has taken another step towards normality today reinstating ferry links with islands and allowing restaurants, cafes and bars to reopen, writes Helena Smith in Athens.
The moves, designed to kick start the country’s tourist industry ahead of seasonal hotels also re-opening on 15 June, follow almost three months of enforced closure thanks to coronavirus. In central Athens cafes began filling up from early morning – although it wasn’t quite business as usual. Waiters wore face coverings and, though not everywhere, hand sanitisers were visible on tables.
More than 110,900 people have so far tested positive for the coronavirus across Africa, according to the World Health Organization’s office for the continent.
More than 14 weeks after the virus was first detected on the continent, the 54 countries of Africa, which between them account for a population of about 1.4bn people, have so far counted 44,500 recoveries and 3,300 deaths.
Over 110,900 confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent – with more than 44,500 recoveries & 3,300 deaths. View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/V0fkK8dYTg pic.twitter.com/FjMIeJP8vd
For now COVID-19 has made a soft landfall in Africa, and the continent has been spared the high numbers of deaths which have devastated other regions of the world. It is possible our youth dividend is paying off and leading to fewer deaths. But we must not be lulled into complacency as our health systems are fragile and are less able to cope with a sudden increase in cases.
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