The secretary general of the Ivorian presidency Patrick Achi, one of the closest collaborators of President Alassane Ouattara, announced Thursday on social networks that he was affected by the coronavirus.
Read also: Côte d'Ivoire: new clashes linked to a Covid-19 screening center
“ This Thursday, April 16, I tested positive for Covid-19. I am therefore confined to my home although having no symptoms, ”says Patrick Achi on his Twitter and Facebook accounts. Patrick Achi, 64, is close to the president, whom he often meets. Several times minister, he succeeded in January 2017 as secretary general to Amadou Gon Coulibaly, another close friend of the president when he was appointed Prime Minister.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly has also been nominated as the candidate for the coalition of Alassane Ouattara for the presidential election in October 2020. " I am followed by wonderful health workers who will surely help me overcome this ordeal, " writes Patrick Achi on networks stressing: " This is the place to remember that this virus is extremely contagious. I therefore invite you once again to strictly respect barrier measures, social distancing and screening in order to stop the spread of the virus together ”.
Patrick Achi is the second political figure, after Defense Minister Hamed Bakayoko, known as "Hambak", to be affected by the virus. "Hambak", another key man in President Ouattara's regime, announced on April 6, also on social media, that he was infected with coronavirus. He has not given official news since. He was behind Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly for the 2020 presidential election, when many observers believed that he was more charismatic and better able to represent the ruling party. Côte d'Ivoire has 688 confirmed cases and six deaths from coronavirus, according to the latest official report.