The trajectory of Covid cases in Africa is “very, very disturbing”, estimated Friday the person in charge of emergency situations at the WHO, Doctor Michael Ryan, with the spread of more contagious variants and a dangerously low vaccination rate.
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According to data collected by the WHO, there were 116,500 new infections in Africa during the week ended June 13, 25,500 more than the previous week. Dr Ryan pointed out that, seen as a whole, the continent did not look so badly off, accounting for just over 5% of new cases recorded globally last week and 2.2% of deaths. However, in some countries infections have doubled and in others they are on the rise by more than 50%.
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The third wave of Covid-19 cases “amplifies and accelerates” in Africa with the variants, had already alerted Thursday the office of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the continent, calling for an increase in the supply of vaccines.
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Like Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Director for Africa, Dr Ryan pointed out that the continent is much more vulnerable because it has received few anti-Covid vaccines, when Europe or the United States have vaccination rates that allow them to return to a more normal life, with a dramatic drop in infections and deaths.
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“We have to take what is happening in Africa very, very seriously”
“The stark reality is that in an area with multiple variants that are more contagious and potentially have a stronger impact, we have left large parts of the population and vulnerable populations in Africa deprived of vaccine protection, so that health systems are already fragile “, said Dr. Ryan indignantly. “This is the result of an unfair distribution of vaccines”, he hammered again. This is especially true for Africa, where only 1% of the population is fully immunized.
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Africa had so far been hit less hard by the pandemic than other regions, but that does not mean that such a situation will last. “It is totally premature to think that the next wave in Africa will be just a short rain and not a storm”, said the doctor. And to add: “I think we need to take what’s going on in Africa very, very seriously.”
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