Worst yet to come for Africa as COVID-19 cases rise for 7th consecutive week — WHO

 

By Sola Ogundipe

As COVID-19 cases rose for the seventh consecutive week since the onset of the third wave on 3rd of May 2021, Africa faced its worst pandemic week ever during the week ending 4th of July, 2021 with more than 251,000 new COVID-19 cases amounting to a 20 percent increase over the previous week and a 12 percent jump from the January peak.

But the worst may be yet to come. Currently, 16 African countries are now in resurgence, with the Delta variant detected in 10 of these countries.

With just 16 million, or less than 2 percent of the continent’s 1.3 billion population fully vaccinated, 19 countries have used more than 80 percent of their COVAX-supplied doses, while 31 countries have used more than 50 percent.

sclosing this and more during a virtual press conference on Thursday, the World Health Organisation, WHO, Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said that the current upsurge comes while vaccination rates remain low in the continent

oeti, who noted that even though momentum was gathering to deliver more vaccine doses through the COVAX facility, remarked that the worst was yet to come.

“Africa has just marked the continent’s most dire pandemic week ever. But the worst is yet to come as the fast-moving third wave continues to gain speed and new ground.