Oil producing Gabon has ratcheted up capacity for testing the new coronavirus, carrying out 886 tests yesterday and revealing 141 new case of Covid-19, according to the Steering Committee of Pandemic Watch spokesman Guy Ndong, secretary-general at the Ministry of Health.

So far, more than 1000 residents have been declared positive with the virus, 152 have been hospitalised with 13I deemed in serious condition while nine deaths have been reported.

The list of fatalities reportedly include Juliette Apouba, an officer in the financial unit of the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, the second Covid-19 fatality sustained within the Ministry Petroleum.