A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly around the world since it was first identified in January 2020 in the Peoples Republic of China. Existing data from China and other countries with outbreaks suggest that COVID-19: transmits readily through person-to-person contact, likely respiratory droplets; causes death from severe respiratory illness in approximately 2 percent of infected persons; and may be transmitted by infected people who have no or minimal symptoms. Because no vaccine yet exists to prevent infection nor medication to cure infection, COVID-19 will likely spread rapidly in communities and healthcare facilities and cause severe illness and death. Although the case-fatality remains low, a high percentage of the African population could be infected in the next year, resulting in large number of deaths, particularly in people with advanced age and/or underlying illnesses.