Covid-19: 10 countries responsible for 88% of cases in Africa - WHO

By Charles Joseph

July 18, 2020 - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that only 10 countries in Africa accounts for 88% of all the cases in the continent.

According to the World Health body, the countries are responsible for 440,627 of all reported cases in the region, COVID-19 WHO Africa Region External Report 20 said.

WHO's Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, in its report on its official Twitter handle @WHOAFRO on Friday, said that South Africa accounted for more than half of cases reported.

Other countries who account for the remaining half according to the health body include: Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to the report, COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve in the WHO African Region since it was first detected in Algeria on Feb.25, 2020.

“Since our last External Situation Report 19 issued on July 8, 2020, a total of 108,098 new confirmed COVID-19 cases (a 27 per cent increase) was reported from 45 countries from 8 to 14 July, 2020.

“Of the 108, 098 reported new cases, the majority, 76 per cent (82,437), were recorded in South Africa, which remains the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in the region.

“South Africa is now the eighth most affected country globally, with its cumulative number of cases (298, 292).

“South Africa cases exceed that of the United Kingdom (290, 137) and Iran (Islamic Republic of) (259,652), which previously reported the highest numbers and are now in the ninth and tenth position, respectively.

“On July 11, 2020, the WHO African Region and South Africa recorded their highest daily case counts of 17, 232 and 12, 349, respectively.’’

During this period, WHO stated that five countries in the region observed the highest percentage increase in incidence cases.

“The countries are Lesotho 181 per cent (from 91 to 256 cases), Namibia 60 per cent (from 539 to 864 cases), Madagascar 54 per cent (from 3, 472 to 5,343 cases).

“Also, Burundi recorded 41 per cent increase from 191 to 269 cases and Angola 40 per cent from previous 386 cases to 541 cases.

“Lesotho and Namibia have been among the top five countries recording the highest percentage increase for the past three reporting periods.

“Equatorial Guinea and United Republic of Tanzania did not officially submit reports indicating any confirmed case.

“A total of 101 new health worker infections were recorded from three countries: Malawi (44), Lesotho (17), Mozambique (15), Guinea-Bissau (11), South Sudan (5), Sierra Leone (5) and Zambia (4).’’

It stated that from July 8 to July 14, 1,231 new COVID-19 related deaths (17 per cent increase) were registered in 32 countries, with 844 (69 per cent) of the deaths recorded in South Africa, similar to the previous period.

“This was followed by Nigeria, with 85 (6.9 per cent) deaths and then Algeria with 60 (4.9 per cent) deaths.’’