Africa urged to test more as coronavirus cases exceed 500,000

Truck drivers queue to get tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Namanga one stop border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania, in Namanga, Kenya May 12, 2020. (Reuters)

African countries must carry out more coronavirus testing and make people use masks, a regional disease control body said on Thursday as cases topped half a million in the continent.

New cases in Africa were up 24% over the past week, with data from governments and the World Health Organization showing it had 512,499 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 11,930 deaths.