The president of the central African country took to twitter Tuesday afternoon as Cameroon has now confirmed 10 cases of the Coronavirus COVID-19 in Yaoundé, the seat of state institutions.

“Dear compatriots, the world is facing a serious and unprecedented health crisis. It will affect our daily lives and economy,” Biya tweeted. “I urge you to strictly respect the guidelines of the Government and WHO. Together, let's bar the spread of the coronavirus. I count on your citizenship and sense of responsibility.”

Chief Dr. Dion Ngute Joseph, Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Head of Government chaired a crisis meeting Tuesday, March 17, 2020 as the number of known Coronavirus Cases in the central African country jumped to 10.

Even before the Prime Minister’s meeting rose, the Minister of Public Health Manaouda Malachie took to twitter to announce that the number of known coronavirus cases had moved from five to 10 over the last couple of hours.

“Unfortunately, I would like to announce the registration of 5 additional cases in Yaoundé in Cameroon, thus bringing to 10 patients in our country. Each of us can stop the circulation of this virus by taking prescribed distancing measures,” said Malachie.

It was only yesterday that the Public Health Minister announced the confirmation of a fifth case of the now dreaded Coronavirus, COVID-19 in Yaoundé, raising fears that the numbers could increase in a rate as to pose a crisis for the country. His recent announcement of a geometric increase in the number of new cases has set the country into panic.

Minister Manaouda Malachie said he has since Tuesday been consulting various professional orders and other learned associations, on the question of the fight against the coronavirus, to solicit their effective implication in the management of the pandemic.

During today’s crisis meeting at the Star Building, Minister Manaouda Malachie was given the opportunity to present Cameroon’s response plan against the coronavirus as it has been implemented since the start of this pandemic.

Details of the five new cases remain to be established but the 5th confirmed case was a person returning from France. The fourth case of the coronavirus confirmed late on Saturday had jetted into the Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport on board an SN Brussels flight from RCDG.

The third case of COVID-19 confirmed early on Saturday is a 56-year-old Cameroonian citizen living in the city of Polverara in the Veneto Region of Italy who arrived the country on March 7, 2020 passing through Paris.

The second case of the COVID-19 in the country involved a Cameroonian who had been in close contact with the first confirmed case – “a French citizen, aged 58, who arrived in Yaoundé on 24 February.”

The Minister of Public Health has thus urged all those coming into the country to quarantine themselves for a period of 14 days. “We call on all people coming from countries at risk and their respective families, to take more responsibility, to facilitate our work and protect others. It is essential to observe a quarantine of 14 days before any activity and contact with others.”