Lesotho has become the last African country con report infection of the deadly coronavirus after the announcement of the index case today.

Prior to this announcement, there was a total of 69,578 cases, 2,403 deaths, and 23,978 recoveries in 53 out of 54 countries in the continent, according to the Africa Center for Disease Control.

The statement signed by Director-General of Health Services said in part: “The Ministry of Health informs the Basotho nation and the entire community living in Lesotho, that the country now has the first confirmed case of COVID-19.

“On the 9th May 2020, the Ministry conducted 81 (eighty-one) tests for COVID-19 from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia.”

It said results that came back from South Africa on the 12th May 2020 indicated that “Eighty people tested NEGATIVE for COVID-19 whiles ONE tested POSITIVE for COVID-19.”

Till date, the country has obtained out 597 specimens which have been tested by South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases, NICD; 295 are negative and 301 are still pending results.

Please find the full details of the confirmation. Once again we encourage Basotho to adhere to social distancing, hand washing and sanitising.#lesothoconfirms#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Phh5DejvrV

— Lesotho Covid Response (@LResponse) May 13, 2020