UN chief: Virus could push millions of Africans into poverty

People affected by the coronavirus economic downturn line up to receive food donations at the Iterileng informal settlement near Laudium, southwest of Pretoria in South Africa today. Pic: AP

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has warned that the coronavirus pandemic threatens Africa’s progress and could push millions into extreme poverty.

He said in a video message launching a policy report on the Impact of Covid-19 in Africa that countries on the continent have responded swiftly to the crisis, and reported cases are so far lower than feared with more than 2,500 deaths.