Cote d'Ivoire children head back to school after weeks of COVID-19 shutdown
CGTN
Pupils, wearing protective masks, attend courses in at the Merlan school of Paillet during the reopening of schools, as the lockdown due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is eased, in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire May 25, 2020. /Reuters

Pupils, wearing protective masks, attend courses in at the Merlan school of Paillet during the reopening of schools, as the lockdown due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is eased, in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire May 25, 2020. /Reuters

Schools in Cote d'Ivoire reopened on Monday as the country became one of the first in the continent to restart education after weeks of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The West African country has reported more than 2,300 infections and 30 deaths according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even though the country is yet to contain the virus, authorities are confident learning can continue under health and safety guidelines.

Pupils flocked back to their schools across the country donning face masks, as education authorities highlighted the seriousness of the situation.

"We also have an imperative duty to ensure that the children entrusted to us can complete their education," Reuters quotes Assoumou Kabran, a ministry official.

According to the Africa CDC, the number of COVID-19 infections in Africa have surpassed 111,000 as the disease continues to spread around the continent.

Africa CDC data shows the continent had recorded 111,348 cases with 3,348 deaths as of Monday afternoon.

The agency also noted that Africa had registered 44,630 recoveries from the disease.

Source(s): Reuters