Despite the relatively lower number of COVID-19 cases in Africa compared to Europe, the pandemic remains a major threat to the continent’s health systems. A new study by WHO predicts that if containment measures fail, even with a lower number of cases requiring hospitalization than elsewhere, the medical capacity in much of Africa would be overwhelmed. Now with more than 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa, the virus has spread to every country in the continent. However, the pandemic has not spread as quickly as in other parts of the world and Africa’s COVID-19 mortality rates are lower as well. An early analysis by WHO speculates that Africa’s lower mortality rate might be due to its young population: 60% of Africans are under the age of 25. Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, says, “It is possible our youth dividend is paying off and leading to fewer deaths. But we must not be lulled into complacency as our health systems are fragile and are less able to cope with a sudden increase in cases.” While Africa has made great progress in testing for COVID-19, it needs to expand the testing capacity in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. Authorities need to prioritize the protection of healthcare workers at facility and community levels by providing them with enough personal protective equipment.
Read more about COVID-19 trends in Africa on the WHO/AFRO site
Read more about WHO’s response to COVID-19