ADVERTISEMENT
The Fast Observer
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Video
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
The Fast Observer
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Video
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
No Result
View All Result
The Fast Observer
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home News QUARTZ

Only one in seven cases of covid-19 in Africa is reported — Quartz Africa

QUARZ (QZ.COM) by QUARZ (QZ.COM)
October 26, 2021
in QUARTZ
0
Only one in seven cases of covid-19 in Africa is reported — Quartz Africa
0
SHARES
6
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT


According to official statistics, only about 8.5 million cases of covid-19 have been developed in African countries since the beginning of the outbreak. For a continent home to nearly 1.4 billion people, that seems too good to be true—and as it turns out, it is.

World Health Organization (WHO) data found that fewer than 15% of covid-19 cases in African countries are correctly reported. Overall, nearly 60 million people contracted the virus in the continent, though even that number might not be accurate, given the small reach of testing in the region.

The WHO estimates about 70 million covid-19 tests have been administered on the continent, or fewer than 6 per 100 people, since the beginning of the pandemic. The most tested African country, Gabon, administered 50 tests per 100 people, and South Africa about 30 tests per 100 people. By way of comparison, Austria administered up to 1,038 tests per 100 people, the UK 412 tests per 100 people, and the US 170 tests per 100.

The dangers of overlooking Covid-19 in Africa

The reason for the underreporting and lack of testing is the same: Limited healthcare resources. Most African countries lack basic healthcare infrastructures, such as hospitals or even clinics outside cities, making covid-19 tests and diagnoses harder to come by.

An indicator of just how undercounted covid-19 cases might be in the continent comes from South Africa. Even the country with the best healthcare infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa severely underestimated the number of covid-19 infections and deaths. According to official data, 90,000 people died from covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, though an analysis of excess deaths conducted by researchers at the University of Cape Town found a total of nearly 240,000 deaths could be linked to the virus.

Although not as negligible as the official data shows, the incidence of covid-19 has likely been lower in Africa than in other countries. This could be explained by the younger population: Compared to Europe’s median age of 43 and the US’s of 38, the median age in African countries is 19.7, which likely helped avoid larger outbreaks. But as the delta variant spreads in the continent, posing higher risks for younger people, it raises concerns, particularly considering the incidence of HIV, which presents a risk factor when it comes to developing severe cases of covid-19.

With vaccination campaigns lagging all over the continent, the risk of a large covid-19 outbreak is real. The misconception that African countries might be out of peril risks replicating what happened in India, where underestimating the danger of outbreaks, leading to massive loss of lives, as well as the development of the delta variant.

The need for more vaccines

In order to improve the situation, the WHO has announced an initiative to reach 7 million people with diagnostic tests in the next year in 20 African countries where there is currently little to no testing capacity.

Although limited, the program aims to apply the so-called “ring strategy” which identifies and isolates new cases based on proximity—people living within a 100 meter radius of each case—to known ones. This strategy worked to eradicate smallpox, and is used during Ebola outbreaks, too.

Even increased testing capacity doesn’t make up for the lack of vaccines. Currently, while nearly 7 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered globally, and nearly half the global population has received at least one dose, the disparity between rich and low-income countries remains huge. Rich countries are now delivering booster shots and letting vaccine doses go to waste as hesitant groups forgo their shots, while poor ones have to wait for leftovers and aren’t likely to reach meaningful immunization before 2023.

In African countries overall, only 5% of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine, although vaccinations rate vary dramatically across the continent. In South Africa, nearly 9% of the population received both doses of vaccine, while in Nigeria fewer than 1% did.



Source link

SOURCE

  • QUARZ (QZ.COM)

    Quartz is a guide to the new global economy for people in business who are excited by change. We cover business, economics, markets, finance, technology

    View all posts

Previous Post

Need discipline, unity in Congress: Sonia Gandhi urges party leaders amid infighting in state units

Next Post

World Fund is a new €350M climate VC fund incubated by Green search engine Ecosia – TechCrunch

QUARZ (QZ.COM)

QUARZ (QZ.COM)

Quartz is a guide to the new global economy for people in business who are excited by change. We cover business, economics, markets, finance, technology

Next Post
World Fund is a new €350M climate VC fund incubated by Green search engine Ecosia – TechCrunch

World Fund is a new €350M climate VC fund incubated by Green search engine Ecosia – TechCrunch

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
How to dress up to a Brunch

How to dress up to a Brunch

March 12, 2022
Besigye unveils 2022 action plan

Besigye unveils 2022 action plan

December 22, 2021
3 Ways to Invest in Ethereum Without Buying ETH

3 Ways to Invest in Ethereum Without Buying ETH

February 4, 2022
These are the African countries that censor internet the most — Quartz Africa

These are the African countries that censor internet the most — Quartz Africa

May 13, 2022
Ugandan author, Rehmah Kasule named among Influential World Women Leaders

Ugandan author, Rehmah Kasule named among Influential World Women Leaders

May 18, 2022
KAMPALA IS SET TO HOST THE FIRST EVER -HAIR & BEAUTY EXPO & AWARDS

KAMPALA IS SET TO HOST THE FIRST EVER -HAIR & BEAUTY EXPO & AWARDS

May 17, 2022
With its new leadership, GIGM, plans to build on its successes in the mobility industry

With its new leadership, GIGM, plans to build on its successes in the mobility industry

May 17, 2022
Bizarre as Chameleone and Weasel kiss live on stage

Bizarre as Chameleone and Weasel kiss live on stage

May 17, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

Disclaimer; All aggregated content on this site is owned by the original authors NOT The Fast Observer

© 2021 reserved by THE FAST OBSERVER a Product of  ALFA MEDIA SMC LTD

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Video

© 2021 The Fast Observer www.fastobserver.com by The Fast Observer.