The African continent is now facing new variants of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.
The UN agency confirmed that a new variant of the virus called “501Y.V2” is circulating widely in South Africa, which explains the majority of new infections during the second wave in that country. This variant is present in Botswana, the Gambia and Zambia. Nigeria is also conducting further studies on a variant identified in samples collected in August and October.
“While Africa has surpassed the three million infection mark and the number of daily cases exceeds the peak of the first wave, the continent is now confronted with new variants of the virus,” the WHO said in its latest bulletin.
It believes that strengthened public health measures are more necessary than ever “to avoid an outbreak of infections that could bring health structures to breaking point.”
According to the WHO Regional Office for Africa, on average, more than 25,000 cases were reported every day between December 28, 2020 and January 10, 2021. This is an increase of almost 40 percent compared with the peak of 18,000 cases daily over two weeks in July 2020. These figures may increase further in the coming days due to the travel, gatherings and festivities that took place during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
These latest figures “are a stark reminder that the virus is relentless, that it still poses a clear threat and that our fight is far from won,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
TE/lb/abj/APA