Monday, March16, 2020, Public Health Minister Manaouda Malachie 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.

“We have just registered a 5th confirmed case over the night in Yaoundé. He is a person returning from France. Like the others, he was immediately taken care of. Let us continue to mobilize and follow the prescribed hygiene measures,” the Minister tweeted.

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that 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.”

Given that Hon. Cavayé Yéguié Djibril, President of Cameroon’s National Assembly returned to the country over the weekend from Paris where he was receiving medical care, many are those who say he should also observe the 14 days quarantine period.

Hon. Cabral Libii, National President of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation, CPNR, wonders how those infected with Coronavirus could have boarded a plane for Cameroon. He also blames Cameroon authorities for negligence given that passengers on board these carriers have been allowed to go into the community unscreened.

His party has also asked that Cavayé Yéguié Djibril be barred from mixing with members of the public until after the 14-day quarantine period. Cavaye has however been spotted at the National Assembly this Monday as newly elected lawmakers took their attributes. He is expected to seek to renew his post of House Speaker when a new bureau is elected tomorrow.

Of 118,000 known COVID-19 cases, over 50 are in Africa. Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia reported first cases on March13. 15 countries in Africa are part of 117 countries globally affected since the outbreak began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019.