Coronavirus: deaths dip in Africa but WHO warns ‘the third wave is not over’

Half of African nations are seeing a severe surge in cases but just 1.5 per cent of the continent’s population is fully vaccinated

China has delivered 33.7 million Covid-19 vaccines to 35 African countries, including 6.69 million donated doses

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A police officer receives a Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in Soweto, South Africa. There has been a rapid rise in infections across the continent, and experts say the surge here has not yet peaked. Photo: AP Photo

Published: 6:00am, 25 Jul 2021Updated: 9:57am, 3 Aug 2021

For eight consecutive weeks, Africa has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases, worsened by the rapidly spreading Delta variant that has been found in 26 African countries and lagging vaccinations on the continent.

There has been cause for hope in the past week after the rate of new cases slowed – falling 1.7 per cent to nearly 282,000 in the week ending July 18 – driven by a sharp drop in South Africa, which accounts for a third of the continent’s reported new cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

But this development may be short-lived. The WHO has warned that excluding the South African data gave a different picture, revealing a uniquely steep and unbroken nine-week surge that was already 80 per cent higher than Africa’s previous peak. Some 21 countries are experiencing a resurgence – three more than last week, according to WHO.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa, said on Thursday that the gains in South Africa might be uncertain amid violence and protests in that country following the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.

“These have disrupted key response activities such as surveillance and testing. There are also real concerns that the mass gatherings could trigger another rise in cases in South Africa,” she said.

South Africa has been the continent’s most affected country, battling the Delta variant that accounts for 95 per cent of new cases in this third wave. The country has reported more than 2.3 million coronavirus infections and over 68,000 deaths, according to South Africa’s health department.

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