THE coronavirus pandemic is accelerating in Africa, spreading to rural areas after international travellers brought it to capital cities, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday.
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But the WHO said there was no indication that large numbers of severe cases and deaths were being missed, nor has the virus caused significant infections in refugee camps across the continent.
Ten countries are driving Africa’s epidemic, accounting for 75 per cent of the some 207,600 cases on the continent, said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa regional director. About 5,000 deaths have been reported.
South Africa, which last month began a phased easing of the lockdown, is the hardest-hit, accounting for a quarter of all cases, she said.
“Even though these cases in Africa account for less than three per cent of the global total, it’s clear that the pandemic is accelerating,” Moeti told a news briefing for Geneva-based UN correspondents.
“We believe that large numbers of severe cases and deaths are not being missed in Africa.”
But lockdowns and market closures to contain coronavirus contagion have hit poor families hard, Moeti said.
In South Africa, high numbers of daily cases and deaths are being reported in two provinces, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, she said, adding: “Specifically in the Western Cape, where we are seeing a majority of cases and deaths, the trend seem to be similar to what was happening in Europe and in the U.S.”
Shortages of test kits remain a challenge on the continent, Moeti said, and until there is an effective vaccine, Africa is likely to see a steady increase with hotspots requiring strong public health and social distancing measures.
Reported cases of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. have topped two million, according to a tally by John Hopkins University, late on Wednesday.
The U.S. leads the world by far in coronavirus cases, trailed by Brazil, Russia and Britain, each of which have recorded fewer than one million confirmed cases.
The development comes amid concerns of a second wave of coronavirus infections, as the U.S. reopens its economy and widespread anti-racism protests continue, with participants in close contact.
According to John Hopkins, at least 19 states saw an upward trend in their reported case totals over the past three days, with the most severe swings coming in Michigan, South Carolina, Arizona and Arkansas.
President Donald Trump has pushed for a quick economic reopening, often bucking recommendations from his public health advisers.
He is restarting his massive campaign rallies next week ahead of the presidential election later this year.
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