News & Analysis: New waves and outbreaks
“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 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.”
“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.'”
“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.”
“Rwanda on Tuesday announced tighter coronavirus lockdowns in 50 administrative areas as new cases surge. The measures were designed to keep people mostly at home in areas with the highest infection rates based on a health assessment, said local government minister Jean Marie Vianne Gatabazi.”
“After weeks of steady decline in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, Nigeria is now responding to what authorities are describing as a ‘likely third wave’ of the pandemic, led by the more contagious Delta variant.”
“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.”
“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