Covid-19: In Africa, the second wave is particularly deadly

“The anticipated catastrophe in Africa has not taken place” headlined the newspapers at the height of the coronavirus epidemic in France and Europe last May. The cases were rare, the mortality rate too, the movement of the virus controlled… But everything changed with the second wave of coronavirus, which is particularly deadly since the South African variant spread on the continent, underlines AFP in a dispatch taken up by Le Monde.

A fatality rate higher than the world average

Already, the balance sheet had become worrying, according to the World Health Organization, last June. Especially in certain territories such as South Africa. At the start of 2021, the virus circulates quickly and has a higher fatality rate than elsewhere. When Covid-19 kills 2.2% globally, this figure is increased to 2.5% in Africa.

“We are witnessing a reversal. This is one of the notable characteristics of the second wave, which we must fight hard“said John Nkengasong, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The speed of spread of the virus is increasing rapidly, during the month of December, an increase of 14% in cases was observed each week on average. On the other hand, some countries have very high fatality rates, well above the world average, due in particular to paralyzed health systems.

Lack of hospital resources, and lack of vaccines

Hospitals lack not only personnel, beds, but also essential supplies to treat Covid-19, such as oxygen. In the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) the fatality rate is 11.8%, in Sudan it is 6.2%, in Egypt 5.5%, for example.

And for now, the continent is also sorely lacking access to vaccines. If the WHO has set up a system to make “equitable” access to the precious sesame, called Covax, the African Union has ordered 270 million additional doses, without having yet reached an agreement on this question.

Source: Le Monde with AFP.

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