COVID-19 deaths 'surge' 40% in Africa, says WHO

Record ID: 1627267

  • Title: COVID-19 deaths 'surge' 40% in Africa, says WHO
  • Date: 15th July 2021
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 9, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GRAVE PITS BEING DUG AT CEMETERY FOR COVID-19 DEATHS WORKERS IN THE FIELD OF NEWLY DUG GRAVE PITS
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2021 14:06
  • Keywords: Africa COVID19 Coronavirus WHO global pandemic health
  • Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA / JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA / JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: Various
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA005ELYD5QF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Africa recorded a 40% rise in COVID-19 deaths this week compared with last week as infections and hospital admissions have jumped and countries face shortages of oxygen and intensive-care beds, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday (July 15).
    The WHO said Africa's case fatality rate - the proportion of deaths among confirmed cases - currently stands at 2.6% against the global average of 2.2%.
    "Deaths have climbed steeply for the past five weeks. This is a clear warning sign that hospitals in the most impacted countries are reaching a breaking point," Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
    The surge has been driven by public fatigue with key health measures aimed at curbing the spread, and an increased spread of virus variants.
    WHO said Africa has seen one of the world's fastest surges in cases with an additional 1 million over the past month.
    (Production: Sisipho Skweyiya, Shafiek Tassiem, Nazanine Moshiri, Paul Warren, Marissa Davison)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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