Africa’s fourth pandemic wave, driven primarily by the Omicron variant, is flattening after a six-week surge.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said even as it stressed that the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent was steep and brief but no less destabilizing.
The new Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24 last year.
WHO on November 26 declared it as a variant of concern.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said early indications suggest that Africa’s fourth wave has been steep and brief but no less destabilising.
“The crucial pandemic countermeasure badly needed in Africa still stands, and that is rapidly and significantly increasing Covid-19 vaccinations, the next wave might not be so forgiving,” said Moeti.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the WHO said, after a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth pandemic wave-driven primarily by the Omicron variant is flattening, marking the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent where cumulative cases have now exceeded 10 million.
Last week, more than 15 million new cases of Covid-19 were reported to WHO from around the world by far the most cases reported in a single week, with Ghebreyesus calling it an underestimate.
As of January 11, there have been 10.2 million Covid-19 cases in Africa.
Weekly cases plateaued in the seven days to January 9 from the week before.
Southern Africa, which saw a huge increase in infections during the pandemic wave, recorded a 14 per cent decline in infections over the past week.
South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first reported, saw a 9 per cent fall in weekly infections.
East and Central Africa regions also experienced a drop.
However, North and West Africa are witnessing a rise in cases, with North Africa reporting a 121 per cent increase this past week compared with the previous one, the WHO said.
While the African continent appears to be weathering the latest pandemic wave, concerns remain over the low vaccination rates.
Just around 10 per cent of Africa’s population has been fully vaccinated.
However, vaccine supplies to the continent have improved recently, and WHO is stepping up its support to countries to effectively deliver the doses to the wider population.
So far 30 African countries-and at least 142 globally-have detected the Omicron variant while the Delta variant has been reported in 42 countries in Africa.
In West Africa where Covid-19 cases are on the rise, the number of Omicron sequences undertaken by countries including Cabo Verde, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal is growing. In Cabo Verde and Nigeria, Omicron is currently the dominant variant.
