COVID-19:WHO Says Africa Has Crossed The Half A Million Cases

   

The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Wednesday said Africa has recorded more than half a million COVID-19 infections, with many countries facing a sharp rise in cases.

WHO indicated that so far, the virus had claimed 11,595 lives on the continent.

COVID-19 infections have more than doubled in 22 countries in the region over the last month, with Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa reco -rding  about 42 per cent of all cases

According to WHO, South Africa is the continent’s worst affected nation, accounting for 29 per cent of Africa’s total caseload.

According to the organisation’s Africa Director, Matshidiso Moeti, with more than a third of countries in Africa  having their cases doubled over the past month, the threat of Covid-19 overwh -elming the fragile health systems on the continent is increasing.

The pandemic is progressing steadily in Eritrea, Gambia, Mali, Seychelles and Togo.

Ten countries, like Egypt, have experienced a downward trend over the past month,“WHO said.

However, almost 90 per cent of COVID-19 infections are among young people aged 60 and below, more likely due to Africa’s relatively young population.