News & Analysis: South Africa
“Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants.”
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Megan McDonald of Standard Bank about the ongoing economic impacts of the pandemic, recent market developments, and the priorities for a robust recovery.
“A new highly mutated variant of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in South Africa as the country continues to battle high infections and death rates from the pandemic. Due to the fast evolving nature of the pandemic, this new variant from South Africa—the continent’s worst hit country with over 2.8 million cases—poses new challenges to regional efforts to contain the pandemic.”
“’The third wave remains stubbornly in our midst, with a resurgence moving decisively from Gauteng to coastal provinces,’” Health Minister Joe Phaahla said during the weekly COVID-19 update.”
“It is easy to be pessimistic about the impact of COVID-19 on African agribusiness but some players in the food supply chain have enjoyed great success over the past year.”
“As the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Africa, the continent has become the most vulnerable region hit by the more transmissible Delta variant of the disease due to lack of vaccines and health facilities.”
“After recent looting and arson in parts of South Africa partly derailed the government’s efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, data on Friday showing a downward trend in new infections and an upward trend in vaccinations nationwide has brought some consolation.”
“Pfizer and BioNTech will begin manufacturing their COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa, as part of an effort to accelerate the rollout of the jab on a continent battling another wave of infections.”
“An outbreak of infections among members of the South African men’s soccer team has emerged as the first test of Olympic officials’ strategy of aggressive testing and swift isolation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus throughout the Tokyo Games.”
“While case numbers and deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise across Africa, the devastating costs of the travel restrictions that have been imposed on visitors as a consequence continue to grow. The economic damage caused by the closure of the tourism economy in Southern and North Africa last year is continuing, perhaps worsening, this year.”
A hub for information, analysis, and the global response to COVID-19’s impact on Africa