Footballers and musicians have been on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus in Africa, reaching not just for social media to spread awareness of the dangers of the virus but also for the cheque book.
Among the first to step up was Senegalese winger Sadio Mane -- a key player in Liverpool's push for the English Premier League title this year -- who donated 30 million CFA francs (USD 50,000) to his country's National Medical Commission to fight the deadly microbe.
In Ivory Coast, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba gave masks to the cathedral of Abidjan, with the warning: "My sisters, my brothers, I ask you to take the matter very seriously... we tend to be too light about our reactions to the situation."
"It knows neither race, religion nor political parties. It kills the rich and the poor. Even in countries where research is done well, the consequences are disastrous. Unpredictable."
"For all these reasons my brothers, sisters, dear parents, I ask you to respect the instructions given by the authorities of our countries and the World Health Organization."
- Musicians give support -
- 'We want to live!' -
In Ivory Coast, the singer DJ Kerozen also alluded to the virus in a new song: "'There's a corona, let's respect the hygiene instructions, the deal is serious, oh..(. ..) Even Mbengue (slang for France), over there, it's spoiled... we want to live! "