WHO concerns Covid-19
Johannesburg – On a recent panel with Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa director Dr Matshediso Moeti said the fatality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was at 3.9%, but measures taken by some countries are beginning to show results.
On the panel, which was convened by the World Economic Forum, Moeti said it is politically challenging for countries to put measures in place to stop the pandemic, but they should use metrics to back their decisions.
By last Thursday the number of Covid-19 cases in Africa were nearing 37 000, with 1 600 deaths.
Moeti said the fatality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was at 3.9%, but measures taken by governments were beginning to show results.
She said West Africa is now a concern.
“We are seeing community spread in a significant number of countries compared to others. We are working particularly with the UN in West Africa to see how to support that,” she said.
At that time the North Africa region had the highest number of cases with 14 500. South Africa and Egypt had the highest cases, both at around 5 300 each, and Algeria recorded the highest fatalities, at 444.