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dpa
Johannesburg
In Africa, only 6.6 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Although the overall trend in new infections is downwards, a fourth coronavirus wave has spread in several countries on the continent, according to official figures.
Besides the low vaccination rate, concerns have also been raised by unconfirmed reports of a new virus variant that is said to have appeared in South Africa, where infection figures are slowly rising again.
John Nkengasong of the African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stressed on Thursday that the data would be investigated and evaluated.
“We need to do more studies, there is a lot we don’t know about this virus,” Nkengasong said. “We have to look at these data very carefully before we make any announcement. The 70-per-cent [vaccination] rate is an imperative target for our continent.” Compared to the previous week, the number of new infections in Africa fell by 11 per cent and the number of deaths by 15 per cent.
According to the Africa CDC, a total of around 8.6 million infections have been documented in Africa so far, of which more than 222,000 were fatal. According to Nkengasong, the number of unreported cases on the continent with its 1.3 billion people is probably higher.
He spoke out against compulsory vaccination. The vaccination of older and sick people must have priority over booster vaccinations or preventive vaccinations of children, he warned.
Otherwise, he said, the goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of the African population by the end of next year is in jeopardy.
The Africa CDC is trying to pool the resources of African countries and coordinate measures in the fight against the pandemic.
So far, Africa has procured about 403 million vaccine doses, of which 55 per cent have been administered, according to the CDC.
Nkengasong attributed the low vaccination rate to logistical problems, among other things, and called for more testing in the individual states.
Johannesburg
In Africa, only 6.6 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Although the overall trend in new infections is downwards, a fourth coronavirus wave has spread in several countries on the continent, according to official figures.
Besides the low vaccination rate, concerns have also been raised by unconfirmed reports of a new virus variant that is said to have appeared in South Africa, where infection figures are slowly rising again.
John Nkengasong of the African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stressed on Thursday that the data would be investigated and evaluated.
“We need to do more studies, there is a lot we don’t know about this virus,” Nkengasong said. “We have to look at these data very carefully before we make any announcement. The 70-per-cent [vaccination] rate is an imperative target for our continent.” Compared to the previous week, the number of new infections in Africa fell by 11 per cent and the number of deaths by 15 per cent.
According to the Africa CDC, a total of around 8.6 million infections have been documented in Africa so far, of which more than 222,000 were fatal. According to Nkengasong, the number of unreported cases on the continent with its 1.3 billion people is probably higher.
He spoke out against compulsory vaccination. The vaccination of older and sick people must have priority over booster vaccinations or preventive vaccinations of children, he warned.
Otherwise, he said, the goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of the African population by the end of next year is in jeopardy.
The Africa CDC is trying to pool the resources of African countries and coordinate measures in the fight against the pandemic.
So far, Africa has procured about 403 million vaccine doses, of which 55 per cent have been administered, according to the CDC.
Nkengasong attributed the low vaccination rate to logistical problems, among other things, and called for more testing in the individual states.
