Africa reaches 4 million Covid-19 cases one year into pandemic

Africa has more than four million Covid-19 cases, with about 106,000 deaths, as the world marks a year since the pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020.

CAPE TOWN, March 14 (ANA) – March 11 marked exactly one year since the World Health Organization (WHO) pronounced that the spread of the novel coronavirus had become a pandemic.

This week also marks Africa surpassing four million infections.

More than 2.6 million people have died of Covid-19 globally, with just over 118 million reported cases and counting.

The race is on now to ensure that life-saving vaccines make it to the greater world population, especially the poorest of the poor, equitably and timeously.

Africa, which remains on the back foot in regard to vaccine distribution, will have to ramp up its vaccine roll-out campaigns before the inevitable third wave arrives.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed this in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: “The best way to end the Covid-19 pandemic, stop future variants and save lives is to limit the spread of the virus by vaccinating quickly and equitably, starting with health workers.”

In January this year, the WHO D-G declared: “The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries.”

The UN-backed Covax distribution initiative was set up by Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), among other organisations, with the aim to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, especially for poorer nations.

On Wednesday, the WHO reiterated its call for world leaders to increase contributions to the Covax facility and to share doses with Covax in parallel with their national Covid-19 vaccine roll-outs.

According to WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti, 19 African countries have now started Covid-19 vaccination campaigns and through Covax more than 518,000 doses have been administered.

Africa, as of March 11, has reported more than four million Covid-19 cases, with about 106,000 deaths.

Moeti added that the continent has experienced a plateau over the past three weeks, with around 70,000 new cases a week.

She added that the Covax shipments continue at a rapid pace, with almost 14.8 million doses having been delivered to 22 African countries.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher