The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday warned the third wave of Covid-19 cases is spreading faster in Africa as the continent is facing a shortage of vaccines, reported Africa News.
In Africa, “the third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. This is incredibly worrying,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, during a virtual press conference.
She warned that the latest COVID-19 wave threatens to be the worst ever in Africa.
According to WHO, African nations have recorded over 5 million cases and almost 140,000 deaths, though the actual figures are feared to be much higher. As per the data collected, the number of Covid-19 cases has increased for five consecutive weeks since the third wave began on May 3, 2021.
About 474,000 new cases have been reported as of June 20, a 21 percent increase over the first 48 days of the second wave.
“At the current rate of infection, the current outbreak is expected to surpass the previous one by early July,” the WHO said.
South Africa, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are the three African countries where the surge in numbers appears most severe.
The rapid spike in cases has been attributed to reduced compliance with public health measures, increased movement, and the spread of the Delta variant, which is now dominant in the DRC and Uganda. The lack of vaccines is also expected to be driving the wave.
According to the WHO, 18 African countries have already exhausted nearly 80% of their supplies, while eight have completely run out. Only 1% of the African population has been fully vaccinated so far.
During an online briefing, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), also reiterated the need for rapid access to more vaccines.
