The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention which is based in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, has given the assurance that the continent is prepared to deal with the coronavirus.
The assurance comes as Algeria confirms two new cases of coronavirus infections of a 53-year-old woman and her 24-year-old daughter.
The cases bring to three the number of people infected with the virus in the North African country.
Confirmed cases of the virus on the continent have risen to six.
Egypt has reported two cases and Nigeria.
The center’s deputy director Dr. Ahmed Ogwell says they are working closely with the Chinese health authorities.
“There is screening at the port of exit in China and people are being screened so that when they get into that flight, there is relative confidence that they are not unwell. When they arrive in Africa at all ports of entry where we still have flights coming directly, they are also being screened so that we are relatively confident that they are not unwell. If you see the cases that are confirmed on the African continent, they are largely from Europe.”