Funeral staff with personal protective equipment carry a cask at the funeral of a COVID-19 victim, amid a nationwide coronavirus (COVID-19) lockout at Olifantsvlei Cemetery, southwest of Joburg, Africa a Right January 6, 2021.
Siphiwe Sibeko | Reuters
New and more infectious variants of Covid-19 are spreading across Africa, causing a spike in disease and death, according to the World Health Organization.
More than 175,000 new cases and more than 6,200 deaths were reported across the continent in the week to Thursday, the WHO said in an update, while disease rates rose 50% between Dec. 29 and Jan. 25. compared to the previous four weeks.
Deaths doubled over the same period to 15,000, mostly in 10 countries in southern and northern Africa, with 22 countries now seeing rising disease rates.
“The variant that was first discovered in South Africa has spread rapidly outside Africa so what is keeping me awake at night right now is that it is very likely to be circulating in several African countries, “WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said at a keynote news conference on Thursday.
The variant was first discovered in South Africa leading to the highest disease rates in the sub-region, and is now noted in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya and the French Indian Ocean region in Mayotte, Zambia, confirmed by the WHO, along with 24 nations outside Africa.
Meanwhile, the horrific infectious strain found in the UK has now made its way to Nigeria and the Gambia.
CDC Africa has set up laboratories across the continent, and the WHO has asked all countries to send at least 20 samples to the sequencing laboratories each month to help with a targeted response. coordinate.
“In addition to the new changes, COVID-19 obesity is at risk, and after year-end gatherings power a perfect storm and drive up the second wave in Africa and resources terrible health, “Moeti said.
“Africa is at a crossroads. We need to stick to our guns and double down on the tactics we know that work so well. That is mask wearing, hand washing and safe social distance. Countless lives depend on ris. “
Diseases over the past week have fallen slightly in South Africa, the worst-hit continental country that has largely avoided the spread of the virus that has halted many major economies at various locations over the past year.
On Friday morning, South Africa had recorded 1,437,798 cases of Covid-19 deaths and 43,105. The continent has reported about 3.5 million cases and 88,985 deaths, according to the BBC’s data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.