Coronavirus in Africa: Here’s what we’ve been searching for on Google

Update – 5 March 2020: The first reported case of the coronavirus in South Africa was confirmed on Thursday 5 March 2020 when a 38-year-old citizen returned to SA from Italy. The case was confirmed by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.

“This morning, Thursday 5 March, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed that a suspected case of coronavirus has tested positive. The patient is a 38-year-old male who travelled to Italy with his wife. They were part of a group of 10 people and they arrived back in South Africa on 1 March 2020”.

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Coronavirus has arrived in Africa, with Algeria, Egypt, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia confirming cases of the disease. This has sent most citizens into a frenzy as fear of the coronavirus spreads faster than the virus itself.

Several tech events from around the world have already been cancelled, including the Mobile World Congress and the Gamers Developers Conference.

In addition, Facebook cancelled its F8 Developer Conference and Google opted to change its Cloud Next event to a digital-only conference. Google also cancelled its I/O developers conference and said in a statement:

“Due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in accordance with health guidance from the CDC, WHO, and other health authorities, we have decided to cancel the physical Google  I/O event at Shoreline Amphitheatre”.

Coronavirus: News updates from Africa

As of Wednesday, 4 March, six African countries – Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco – have confirmed coronavirus cases.

Moreover, Western Cape is bracing for coronavirus cases by launching a detailed 72-hour response plan, while South Africans currently living in China are returning home.

Unfortunately, fake news is also on the rise and scams abound, from a Ghanaian pastor who sold ‘holy oil’ to hackers who exploit coronavirus fears to launch malware and cyberattacks.

Coronavirus-related Google search terms in Africa

Google detailed the top questions currently searched for the platform and the results show that, understandably, the spread of the virus is attracting a lot of interest in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

Google, which a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, is organising the world’s information and “making it universally accessible and useful” through products and platforms such as Search, Maps, Gmail, and YouTube.

South Africa

1. What is Coronavirus?
2. What causes Coronavirus?
3. How did Coronavirus start?
4. How is Coronavirus spread?
5. How to prevent Coronavirus?
6. How many people have died from Coronavirus?
7. Is the coronavirus in South Africa?
8. What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?
9. Where is the Coronavirus?
10. Where does the Coronavirus come from?

Kenya

1. What causes Coronavirus?
2. How is Coronavirus spread?
3. Where did Coronavirus originate from?
4. How long does Coronavirus take to kill?
5. How did Coronavirus start?
6. How is Coronavirus transmitted?
7. How does Coronavirus kill?
8. How to prevent Coronavirus?
9. How to treat Coronavirus?
10. How Coronavirus spreads?

Nigeria

1. What is Coronavirus?
2. How to prevent Coronavirus?
3. What causes Coronavirus?
4. What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?
5. Is Coronavirus in Nigeria?
6. How does Coronavirus spread?
7. How did Coronavirus start?
8. What is the cure for Coronavirus?
9. How is Coronavirus contracted?
10. Who brought Coronavirus to Nigeria?

Also read – Virus experts baffled by Africa’s apparent resistance to coronavirus