Voice of America
13 Jan 2022, 23:35 GMT+10
GENEVA - The World Health Organization reports the surge of the fast-spreading Omicron variant in Africa appears to have peaked and is flattening in most African countries.
This is a bit of good news for a continent that has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is entering its third year. As of now, the World Health Organization reports more than 10 million people in Africa have been infected with coronavirus and more than 230,000 have died.
The UN health agency reports Africa appears to be emerging from its fourth pandemic wave, driven primarily by the Omicron variant, which quickly overtook the delta variant to become the dominant strain. After a six-week surge, WHO says Omicron has recorded its first drop in cases.
If this trend continues, WHO says it will mark the shortest-lived surge so far on the continent. Abdou Salam Gueye is Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response in WHO's Regional Office for Africa. He says it is premature to let down one's guard as the latest data was collected during the holiday period, when numbers tend to be under reported.
'Over the past week, cases plateaued compared with the week before, dropped by a little bit-point-two percent. Infections have also declined in three of Africa's five subregions. Only North and West Africa are currently seeing an increase in cases,' Gueye said.
South Africa Lifts Curfew, Says COVID-19 Fourth Wave Peaked
Anita Graham is in the Department of Pulmonology, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. She says the Omicron variant has accounted for 95-percent of all infections during the region's huge fourth pandemic wave. However, she says there have been far fewer severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths than from the more virulent Delta strain.
'However, we are still seeing very serious infections and admissions in patients who are unvaccinated. And also, in patients who have co-morbidity,' Graham said. 'Our vaccination remains the best, most effective way of protecting ourselves and our patients from severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
Unfortunately, WHO officials note just 10 percent of Africa's population of 1.2 billion is fully vaccinated, compared to 50 percent of the wider world's population. They say the coming months will be critical in Africa's efforts to improve vaccination rates.
They say Africa has the know-how and the tools to tip the balance against the pandemic if it is given the supplies and means to roll out these life-saving vaccines.
Get a daily dose of Sierra Leone Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Sierra Leone Times.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York - Shares in automakers fell sharply Thursday after U.S.President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on all...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Federal safety regulators have launched a new investigation into Ford's best-selling F-150 pickup trucks after receiving...
WASHINGTON, D.C.:/SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Group is set to dramatically expand its U.S. footprint, with a US$20 billion investment that...
STANSTEAD, Quebec: U.S. authorities have decided to end a long-standing unwritten rule that allowed people from Stanstead, Quebec,...
NEW YOKK, New York - U.S. stocks fell sharply Wednesday with tech stocks, mainly those associated with AI, taking the brunt of the...
TORONTO, Canada: As the threat of U.S. tariffs looms, Canada is looking inward to strengthen its economy by removing domestic trade...
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): Ambassadors and diplomats of Muslim-majority nations hailed India's strong ties with the Islamic...
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Indian Minorities Federation (IMF) hosted a 'Sadbhavana Iftar' at the residence of Rajya Sabha...
(Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman each hit two home runs and the visiting Baltimore...
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Indian Minorities Foundation hosted the 'Sadbhavna Iftar' in Delhi, bringing together diplomats...
ABU DHABI, 27th March, 2025 (WAM) -- President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has received a written message from...
Washington has said that from April 1, its passport holders will no longer be able to visit Namibia without obtaining visa US nationals...