“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.”
“There has been an increase in COVID-19 deaths across Africa since mid-July 2021. But the impact of the pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa remains markedly lower compared to the Americas, Europe, and Asia.”
“Despite being created to manage travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Union’s COVID-19 passport can set in place a mechanism for controlling future pandemics and disease outbreaks in the continent.”
“South Africa has suffered the latest in a series of setbacks to its COVID-19 vaccination program, with the country’s medical-products regulator saying on Sunday that doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that were manufactured at a plant in Baltimore, Maryland and awaiting distribution in South Africa cannot be used because of possible contamination.”
“A number of Chinese pharmaceutical companies have developed COVID-19 vaccines which have been distributed domestically, as well as sold and donated overseas. But recent data show that China’s involvement in Africa’s vaccine programs, through donations and sales, has been the slowest among all regions where its vaccines are in use.”
“South Africa is set to expand its nationwide rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations as the country braces for a potential third wave of the coronavirus pandemic that officials fear could materialize in the coming weeks.”
“In Kenya, citizens have protested allegations of corruption in the procurement and supply of COVID-19 equipment worth $71.96 million by a government agency. But the latest scandal to envelop the country has had international implications, pulling in a Canadian firm and American regulators.”
“If African populations are skeptical now of limits on digital media, that opposition might grow as more enter the digital space for commerce, work, education, entertainment and social communications. Shutdowns will generate not only higher economic costs, but likely greater public outrage as well.”
“To date just over 293,000 South Africans have had received their jab, which represents only a fraction of the 1.25 million healthcare workers who are first in line.”
“Efforts made by African scientists have been underway, but they have failed to get support from either the private or public sector.”
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