Musings From Abroad

WHO declares end to Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea

Published

1 year ago

June 8, 2023

The World Health Organization has declared an end to the outbreak of the Marburg virus infection in Equatorial Guinea.

WHO, at its regional office for Africa, made the declaration on Thursday that no cases of the infection were reported over the past 42 days after the last patient was discharged following treatment.

According to WHO, 17 laboratory-confirmed cases and 12 deaths were recorded. Another 23 were reported to have died from probable Marburg infection.

Equatorial Guinea on February 13 confirmed its first-ever outbreak of the disease after preliminary tests carried out following the deaths of at least nine people in the country’s eastern Kie Ntem Province returned positive on one of the samples for the viral haemorrhagic fever.

Other countries like Ghana, Guinea, Uganda and Tanzania have all battled the disease in recent years. Like Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania was declared free just last week.

The disease which is caused by a deadly virus from the same family as Ebola, is transmitted to people from fruit bats, and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.

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Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.