The coronavirus disease outbreak in Africa has continued to slow down in the first two weeks of August giving a ray of hope in the continent’s fight against the pandemic.
According to the latest External Situation Report by the WHO issued on Wednesday, a total of 56,508 new confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2,071 new deaths were reported from 45 countries between August 12-18.
This represents a 25 per cent decrease in cases as compared to 75,326 cases registered during the previous reporting period (August 5-11).
Although South Africa reported majority of the new cases, 46 per cent (26,035), it also continues to record a remarkable downward trajectory in trend.
The report revealed there was also a reduction in incidence cases in some of the previous hot spots countries which included, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria and Kenya in the past week.
Number of Covid-19 cases in Africa (July 15-August 18)
“While these indicators are encouraging, the figures should be cautiously interpreted as they may be affected by many factors,including the current testing capacity, strategy and delays in reporting,” the report reads in part.
As at Wednesday Africa had 1.1 million confirmed Covid-19 cases on the African with more than 859,000 recoveries and 26,000 deaths cumulatively.
During this reporting period, the countries that reported the highest percentage increase include; Eritrea, 533 per cent (19 vs 3), Rwanda 464 per cent (406 vs 72), Uganda 164 per cent (290 vs 110), Mali 162 per cent (89 vs 34), and Guinea- Bissau 117 per cent (65 vs 30).
Others are Lesotho 106 per cent (148 vs 72), Ethiopia 99 per cent (8,547 vs 4,300), Namibia 63 per cent (1,235 vs 759) and Malawi 36 per cent (479 vs 353).
At the same time, countries that recorded a decrease in new cases include; Sierra Leone 65 per cent (27 vs 77), South Sudan 58 per cent (17 vs 40), Ghana 56 per cent (1,589 vs 3,592), Madagascar 51 per cent (692 vs 1 422) and Congo 47 per cent (105 vs 199).
Others are Côte d’Ivoire 45 per cent (303 vs 554), South Africa 42 per cent (26,035 vs 44 791), Cameroon 34 per cent (361 vs 545), DR Congo 33 per cent (222 vs 321), Gabon 27 per cent (264 vs 360) and Kenya 24 per cent (3,211 vs 4,223).
% Decrease in Covid-19 cases (August 12-18)
The United Republic of Tanzania did not officially submit any report indicating any confirmed case.
During this period, 2,071 new Covid-19 related deaths (15 per cent decrease) occurred in 33 countries, with 1,513 (73 per cent) of the deaths recorded in South Africa.
This was followed by Ethiopia, with 132 (6.4%) deaths and Algeria with 57 (2.8%) deaths.
Other countries that reported new deaths during the reporting period include; Kenya (49), Zimbabwe (37), Ghana (33), Gambia (30), Nigeria (25), Zambia (23), Madagascar (21).
Number of Covid-19 related deaths (August 12-18)
As of August 18, 2020, a cumulative total of 962, 290 Covid-19 cases had been reported in the region.
South Africa had registered more than half, 62 per cent (592,144) of all reported confirmed cases in the region.
The other countries that had reported large numbers of cases are Nigeria (49,895), Ghana (42,993), Algeria (39,025), Ethiopia (32,722), Kenya (30,636), Cameroon (18,624), Côte d’Ivoire (17,150), Madagascar (14,009) and Senegal (12,305).
The current figures in the region represent 4.4 per cent of confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2.5 per cent of deaths reported worldwide.
South Africa remains the hardest hit country on the African continent and is ranked fifth globally.