ABUJA, Nigeria

The number coronavirus cases in Ghana neared 22,000 Tuesday with 891 infections reported over the last 24 hours, according to the country’s health authorities. 

Confirmed cases rose to 21,968, while the nationwide death toll reached 129 with 17 new fatalities.

The total number of recoveries reached 17,156.

Ghana’s capital, Accra, along with Ashanti and the Western and Central regions are the worst-hit areas.

The number of coronavirus cases in Africa has exceeded 510,000, while the death toll on the continent is nearing 12,000.

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 543,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since originating in Wuhan, China last December.

More than 11.79 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 6.41 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.