Burkina Faso’s Minister of Trade and Industry Harouna Kabore has tested positive for coronavirus, the fifth cabinet minister infected by the novel coronavirus in the country.
The U.S. ambassador to Burkina Faso, Andrew Robert Young also tested positive on Sunday.
On Twitter, Young said the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou had taken measures to quarantine contacted embassy staff.
“I received a positive test for COVID-19,” he said.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement on Monday that: “The minister will continue his self-confinement at home although presenting no symptoms.” .
Kabore took to self-quarantine at home after several people he had met tested positive for COVID-19, the statement said.
“He invites anyone who has been in contact with him lately to contact the health authorities,” the statement added.
Four other ministers, the education minister, territorial administration minister, foreign minister and mining minister, also tested positive on March 20.
The government on Friday announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew throughout the territory
and a closure of its borders.
But on Monday, the country registered 24 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 99.
Marial Ouedraogo, national coordinator of the response to the Coronavirus epidemic, announced the new figure on Monday during a press conference.
“As of March 22, we have registered 24 new cases of Covid-19 which brings the number of positive cases to 99, including 60 men and 39 women, and four deaths cases in total,” said Ouedrago, indicating that “there are very few patients in critical condition”.
“The 99 confirmed cases are as follows: 89 in Ouagadougou, four in Bobo-Dioulasso, one in Hounde, two in Dedougou, one in Banfora and two in Boromo,” Ouedrago said.
Areas with confirmed cases such as the National Assembly, the airport and a clinic have been disinfected, added Ouedrago.
Burkina Faso reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 9. Enditem
