Scientists are surprised that Africa is avoiding a Covid-19 catastrophe, although it remains unclear what the final toll will be. World Health Organization data shows that deaths in Africa represent only 3 percent of the global number. By comparison, deaths from epidemics in the Americas and Europe account for 46 percent and 29 percent.
W Nigeria – the most populous country in AfricaThe government has recorded nearly 3,000 deaths among 200 million people so far. The United States is recording several deaths every two or three days, the Indian Express said on Friday.
when Corona virus First emerging on the continent last year, health officials feared a pandemic would sweep across Africa, killing millions and destroying fragile health systems. Although it is still not clear what the final harvest will be COVID-19This catastrophic scenario has not yet materialized.
In the past months The coronavirus hit South Africa and It is estimated that he killed more than 89,000 people there. People – by far the largest number on the continent. At the same time, scientists admit that in African countries it is very difficult to obtain specific data on Corona virus infection And it warns that the trend of declining morbidity could be reversed.
However, something “mysterious” is happening in Africa, which puzzles scientists – said the professor. Wafaa Al-Sadr, director of infectious diseases at Columbia University. Africa does not have the vaccines and measures to combat Covid-19 that are in Europe, but I think they work better – She said.
W Africa Just less than 6 per cent. People are vaccinated. For months, the World Health Organization described Africa in its weekly epidemiological reports as “one of the least affected regions in the world”.
Some scholars think so Average age on the continent – 20 years versus 43 in Western Europe too Low urbanization and outdoor living He may have saved Africa the deadliest yet Corona virus effects. Research is also ongoing to see if there could be other explanations for the relatively low percentage on the continent, including genetic causes or exposure to other conditions.
Authorities are accustomed to containing outbreaks even without vaccination, said Christian Happy, director of the African Center for Infectious Disease Genomics at Redeemer University in Nigeria, attributing this to a vast network of social health workers. It’s not always about how much money you have or how modern your hospitals are – He said.
Owewell Tomori, a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory groups, has suggested that Africa may not even need as many vaccines as the West. It’s a controversial idea but she says is the subject of serious debate among African scholars. At the same time, he stresses, this does not mean that Africa does not need vaccines.
We need vaccines to prepare for the next wave. Epidemiologist Abul-Karim from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, who previously served as an advisor to the South African government in the COVID-19.
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