MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry are “closely monitoring” the coronavirus outbreak in Africa and want to help if deaths across the continent surge.
The couple – who were seen delivering food to the homeless in LA this week – are said to be among those who are growing “increasingly concerned” about the plight facing the region.
The UN has already warned coronavirus could kill up to 3.3million people in Africa.
Concerns have been raised about the ability of the health systems of many countries across Africa to handle a significant surge of new patients.
And the warnings as said to particularly concern Harry who has a close affinity to the continent while his charity, Sentebale, has raised millions for people in Lesotho.
Yesterday a source said: “Harry and Meghan have asked their charity to closely monitor the situation there as they are increasingly concerned about the impact the virus could have on countries in Africa. Harry is also in regular, weekly, contact with Sentebale.
“Harry and Meghan want to be able to offer whatever support they can. Harry has seen himself over the years, first hand, how many African countries have health services which lag massively behind the rest of the world.
“His concern is that a mass outbreak of Covid-19 may tip many of those services over the edge.
“In many ways Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave the Royal Family allows them to have a broader, more international outlook, in terms of the support they offer.
“Their plan, from the very start, has been to do what they can to help those most in need – wherever they live in the world.”
Experts say Africa is fast-emerging as the forgotten story in the next wave of the pandemic.
Last month former Prime Minister Tony Blair told Sky News how he was fearful of the impact the virus could have there.
Next week more than one million tests will be rolled out to address what are seen as big gaps in assessing the full-scale of the cases likely to hit the continent.
One projection estimates there will be a staggering 10 million severe cases of the virus in the next six months.
Africa is weeks behind Europe and the US in terms of the spread of the virus but the rise in cases has looked alarmingly similar.
South Africa, the most assertive African nation in testing, has carried out 90,000 tests so far, according to its health ministry.
Ten African nations have no ventilators at all to treat virus patients who need respiratory support.
Prince Harry and Meghan were spotted in LA this week, seen walking their dogs while wearing face masks.
The Sussexes wore bandanas over their faces to protect against killer coronavirus in the first picture of them since their move to the city.
The couple, who left baby Archie at home, had parked in a house-lined street before heading out on to the well-trodden community route popular with locals.
