"Hotel units have been defined that have already started to welcome our health professionals, who are at risk, so as not to return home and increase the risk for their families," he said at a press conference in Luanda.

"By the end of tomorrow [Thursday], all the front line professionals will be accommodated in these units", guaranteed Sílvia Lutucuta.

Angola today registered two new cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the total number to 19, all related to passengers coming mostly from Portugal, one from Brazil and one from South Africa.

The Health Ministry official said that “the number of cases has increased, but in a very defined population”, with no community circulation.

About the people who are currently in the home quarantine, he added that they are being accompanied by the authorities, although several of these people, despite having signed a term of commitment, did not provide correct addresses and telephone numbers.

Sílvia Lutucuta said that even though “the diagnostic capacity has been evolving”, hoping to decentralize testing in 15 provinces starting on April 15th.

On the other hand, he indicated that Angola has no prospect of testing the vaccine and will wait for the results of other African countries.

As for the movement of people, he stressed that the priority is to defend the country, arguing that the provincial health fence, which prohibits the entry and exit between the different provinces, is an appropriate measure, as well as the closing of borders.

"We have to defend ourselves" because "the country is at risk", he stressed, adding that the borders with countries where there is community circulation such as Namibia or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have been strengthened.

The number of deaths from covid-19 in Africa has exceeded 500, with more than 10,500 cases of infection recorded in 52 countries, according to the most recent update of the pandemic data on the continent.

The new coronavirus, responsible for the covid-19 pandemic, has already infected more than 1.4 million people worldwide, of whom more than 82,000 died.