More African countries closed their borders Thursday as the coronavirus local spread threatened to turn the continent of 1.3 billion people into an alarming new front for the pandemic, AP reports.

"About 10 days ago, we had about five countries with the virus," WHOs Africa chief Dr Matshidiso Moeti told reporters. "Now 34 of Africa's 54 countries have cases, with the total close to 650. Its an extremely rapid evolution,” she said.

In fact, the first sub-Saharan Africa case was announced Feb 28.