COVID-19: Africa needs unprecedented attention to strengthen community health systems

Type Journal Article Author Lyudmila Nepomnyashchiy Author Bernice Dahn Author Rachel Saykpah Author Mallika Raghavan URL https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31532-4/abstract Series Comment Volume 396 Issue 10245 Pages 150-152 Publication The Lancet ISSN 0140-6736, 1474-547X Date 18/07/2020 Extra Publisher: Elsevier PMID: 32682465 Journal Abbr The Lancet DOI 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31532-4 Library Catalog www.thelancet.com Language English Abstract As the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Liberia, in March, 2020, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,1 among others,2 highlighted the need to adopt lessons learned from the response to the 2014–16 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in west Africa. Ebola claimed about 11 300 lives in 21 months across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.3 Comparisons to Ebola benefit from remembering the key differences between the two viruses. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a respiratory virus and is infectious among asymptomatic carriers. Short Title COVID-19