African airlines losses of $400m since coronavirus outbreak

African airlines have lost $400m (£312m) since the outbreak of the coronavirus in China in February, according to the global airline industry body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The losses have come from suspended and cancelled flights on routes to China. Airlines including South African Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Air Tanzania, and Kenya Airways have all suspended flights.

However, the continent’s largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines, is still operating flights to and from five cities in China.

Quoting vice president of the IATA, BBC reported that the impact of the disease will only get worse for African airlines - which last year posted losses of $100m.

So far, cases of coronavirus have been reported in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria and Senegal - although no African nation has suffered a major outbreak.