Africa’s top public health official said the continent has seen an average 8 per cent rise in new coronavirus cases over the past month as infections creep up again in parts of the continent of 1.3 billion people.

John Nkengasong said “we expected it to happen” and warned that when the virus comes back for a second wave, “it seems to come back with a lot of full force.”

The African continent is approaching two million confirmed cases, with just over 1.9m now including more than 45,000 deaths.

Nkengasong said that “we are at a critical point in the response” and again urged governments and citizens to follow public health measures. Countries with the highest increase of cases in the past week include Congo at 37pc, Kenya at 34pc and Nigeria at 17pc.