News & Analysis: Health impact
“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.”
“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 Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the number of persons who have died from COVID-19-related complications in the state has reached 506… He said 11 persons died from COVID-19-related complications on the reported day, increasing the state’s fatality figure by the virus to 506.”
“Morocco’s Health Ministry has been warning citizens about the importance of taking preventive measures, including wearing masks properly. The ministry also urged citizens eligible for the vaccine to visit the nearest center to receive the vaccination.”
“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.”
“’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.”
“Senegal needs greater capacity for pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing now and for the future. In the interim, it needs access to efficacious vaccines for its citizens. If this pandemic has taught us nothing else, it is that public health is global health. What happens in China, Senegal, or the United States can directly impact someone across the world.”
“In less than one week, Nigeria has been consistent in smashing previous records of highest daily tallies in months to indicate how swift the unofficial third wave of COVID-19 is spreading.”
“‘Patients, particularly young ones, are arriving in respiratory distress,’ Dr. Khardiata Diallo, head of infectious disease at Fann hospital in Dakar, said, her voice cracking with exhaustion. ‘We’ve never had this number of cases, deaths and severe cases. Frankly, this third wave threatens to drown us.'”
“The lessons from India’s experience are especially relevant to other developing countries, like those in Africa, that will not benefit from the shield of mass vaccination in the near term. The overarching lesson is that COVID-19 is a ‘complacency virus’; its surveillance and suppression must be continually adapted.”
A hub for information, analysis, and the global response to COVID-19’s impact on Africa