Covid-19
Covid-19: Melinda Gates certain more blacks will die, says most uncomplimentary things about African govts
Wife of billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, Melinda, was caught between sympathy and know-it-all doomsaying when she commented on Covid-19 pandemic on CNN April 13.
According to her, it is going to be horrible in the developing world.
“Look at what is happening in Ecuador, they are putting bodies out on the streets,’ she said during the interview.
“You are going to see that in countries in Africa.”
But contrary to similar foreboding prediction by experts and analysts, Africa has yet to record up to 1000 death across more than 50 countries—since Dec 2019 when the virus broke out in Wuhan, China.
As of April 12, the continent recorded 747 deaths out of 13814 cases. No fewer than 2,355 have recovered so far.
“Part of the reasons you are seeing the case numbers still do not look very bad, is because they don’t have access to many tests,” she said.
But this may not be exactly so. South Africa has tested over 85,000 people, Egypt, more than 25,000, Nigeria, over 5000.
Melinda’s expectation for the case to peak in Africa has made her feel seriously for the deadly fall out she envisaged.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated 54m euros to improve health in Africa in 2018, and its work in Nigeria has released no fewer than 100 grants to the country.
She then gave the continent’s leaders a broadside for their inept governance and widespread poverty.
‘When we talk of physical distancing and hand-washing, if you live in slums who can’t physically distance, you have to go out and get your meals,’ she said.
“You don’t have clean water to wash your hands.”
Covid-19 has killed more than 100,000 people and infected close to two million.
Africa’s infection and mortality rates have been one of the lowest across the world.