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Over the past month, there was an average increase of seven percent in weekly COVID-19 cases across the continent and an average increase of eight percent in weekly deaths.
FILE: A Moroccan woman, wearing a protective mask, walks on a street in Tangier’s old town on June 14, 2020, following the announcement of closure measures in the northern port city to quell a new outbreak of the new coronavirus, weeks after it eases. restrictions at the national level. Image: AFP.
ADDIS ABABA – Africa faces “a turning point” in its fight against the coronavirus as cases and deaths soar after closures and travel restrictions are eased, the World Organization’s regional director warned on Thursday. Health (WHO).
Over the past month, there has been an average seven percent increase in weekly COVID-19 cases across the continent and an average eight percent increase in weekly deaths, according to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diseases (Africa CDC).
“In fact, we are at a crucial moment of the pandemic in Africa. While the continent has experienced a downward trend in its epidemic curve over the past three months, this decline has stalled,” Matshidiso Moeti told reporters. , WHO Africa Director. conference.
Despite initial concerns that the pandemic would devastate the region, the 55 member states of the African Union have so far recorded around 1.6 million cases, representing just 4.2% of the global total, according to the Africa CDC.
Its approximately 39,000 deaths represent 3.6% of the world total.
Many countries imposed punitive lockdowns and restricted travel for extended periods, measures that would be difficult to reinstate in response to a resurgence, said John Nkengasong, Africa CDC director.
“We are seeing what is happening in Europe as they ease their lockdown, how the number of new cases has increased and several countries are considering a second lockdown. We cannot afford that,” Nkengasong said.
“We cannot allow this virus to erode the progress we have made in recent months since the start of the pandemic.”
South Africa accounts for almost half of the continent’s cases.
North African countries Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya have also reported sizable increases in recent weeks.
Compared to the start of the pandemic, African countries “are now in a much better position to address the new challenges that COVID-19 is presenting us with,” Moeti said, citing a sharp increase in testing facilities and fans.
But he expressed concern about how the increase in cases in Europe could affect the continent.
“We know the very close connection between Africa and Europe and we also know that the importation in practically all African countries happened from Europe,” he said.
“So we are concerned about this rebound in Europe at the same time that we are opening up for business travelers, for tourists coming to Africa.”
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