U.N. report: Coronavirus crisis could kill 300,000 in Africa

April 17 (UPI) -- More than 300,000 people in Africa could end up dying from the coronavirus disease if measures aren't taken to protect them, according to a new United Nations analysis.

The U.N. Economic Commission for Africa said in a 48-page report titled, "Protecting Lives and Economies in Africa," the continent's fragile health systems could easily be overwhelmed by the viral outbreak.

The disease has so far infected more than 16,000 Africans and killed 800.

U.N. Under Secretary-General Vera Songwe said the pandemic will likely slow Africa's economic growth from 3.2 percent to 1.8 percent in a best-case scenario, pushing nearly 27 million people into extreme poverty.

"To protect and build towards the continent's shared prosperity, $100 billion is needed to urgently and immediately provide fiscal space to all countries to help address the immediate safety net needs of the populations," she said.

Africa, Songwe said, is particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic because 56 percent of its urban population is "concentrated in slums or informal dwellings," while only 34 percent of African households have access to basic hand washing facilities.

In addition to the human cost, Africa is enduring a disproportionate economic toll from the crisis, according to the report. That is partly due a plunge in the price of oil, which accounts for 40 percent of the continent's exports.

Another major industry, tourism, has also been decimated due to worldwide travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic.