Welcome Remarks
- Good morning from the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, and thank you to members of the press for joining today’s briefing.
- At this time, I will share updates on the COVID-19 situation on the continent, including our response efforts and updates on the vaccine situation.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | OVERVIEW
- As of today, December 2nd, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total cases: Over 8.6 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in Africa, (8,651,549). This accounts for 3.3% of total cases reported globally.
- Total recoveries: Over 8 million people have recovered (8,099,456). This accounts for 94% of the total cases reported in Africa.
- Total deaths: Over 223,000 deaths have been reported (223,352). This results ina cumulative case fatality rate (CFR) of 2.6%,and accounts for 4.3% of deaths reported globally.
- The following five countries account for 61% of all cases reported in Africa.
- South Africa: 34% of total cases (2,968,052)
- Morocco: 11% of total cases (949,991)
- Tunisia: 8% of total cases (716,861)
- Libya: 4% of total cases (373,210)
- Ethiopia: 4% of total cases (371,536)
- Case Fatality Rate (CFR): this week, 27 countries (49% of Member States), are reporting a CFR higher than the global average of 2%.
- 3 countries (Egypt, Somalia and Sudan) are reporting a CFR higher than 5%.
- 84% of Member States(46 countries) experienced the 3rd COVID-19 wave. 34 (74%) MS are experiencing a more severe 3rd wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 3rd wave.
- Eleven countries (Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Somalia and Tunisia) are experiencing a 4th COVID-19 wave. 4 (36%) MS are experiencing a more severe 4th wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 4th wave.
- One country (Mauritius) is experiencing a 5th COVID-19 wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 5th wave.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | VARIANTS OF CONCERN (VOC)
- 45 countries are now reporting the Alpha (B.1.1.7) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 41 countries are now reporting the Beta (B.1.351) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 44 countries are now reporting the Delta (B.1.617.2) VOC.
Since the last briefing, ONE (Djibouti) additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 2 Member States are reporting the Gamma (GR/501Y.V3/P.1+P.1.1+P.1.2) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State has reported this variant.
- 4 Member States are reporting the Omicron GR/484A (B.1.1.529) first detected in Botswana/Hong Kong/South Africa.
List :
- South Africa
- Botswana
- Nigeria
- Ghana
Nigeria and Ghana have shared sequences of Omicron.
More details are provided in our dashboard:
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | ONE-WEEK TREND ANALYSIS
- The following are trends for epidemiological week 47 (22 – 28 November 2021), compared to the previous epidemiological week 46 (15 – 21 November 2021):
- New cases: A total of 52,300 new cases were reported in Africa. This is a 105% increase from the previous week.
- The highest proportion of new cases is from the Southern region (63%). The other regions are as follows:
- Northern region (25%)
- Eastern region (8%)
- Western region (3%)
- Central region (1%)
- The following 5 countries are reporting the highest number of new cases:
- South Africa (31,544)
- Egypt (6,321)
- Libya (3,817)
- Mauritius (1,253)
- Algeria (1,200)
- The following 5 countries are reporting the highest daily incidence per million population, (average number of new cases per million population per day):
- Seychelles (523)
- Mauritius (138)
- Libya (79)
- South Africa (76)
- Botswana (25)
- New deaths: A total of 938 new deaths were reported in Africa compared to 1,015 from the previous week. This represents an 8% decrease in new deaths from the previous week.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | FOUR-WEEK TREND ANALYSIS
- The following are trends over the past 4 epidemiological weeks, (1 – 28 November 2021):
- New cases: There has been an overall 20% average increase in new cases reported in Africa each week.
- The following is a regional breakdown:
- 153% increase in the Southern region
- 34% decrease in the Central region
- 19%decreasein the Westernregion
- 7% decrease in the Eastern region
- 1% decrease in the Northern region
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- South Africa: 196% average increase
- DR Congo: 45% average increase
- Ethiopia: 22% average decrease
- Nigeria: 19% average decrease
- Kenya: 14% average decrease
- Egypt: 0.3% average decrease
- New deaths: There has been an overall 9% average decrease in new deaths reported in Africa each week.
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- Kenya: 92% average increase
- Nigeria: 84% average increase
- South Africa: 17% average increase
- Egypt: 3% average increase
- DRC: 60% average decrease
- Ethiopia: 12% average decrease
COVID-19 TESTING & MEDICAL SUPPLIES
- To date, over 82 million COVID-19 tests (82,485,405) have been conducted in African Union Member States since the pandemic started.
- Over 1 million new tests (1,034,756) were reported for epidemiological week 47 (22 – 28 November 2021).
- This is a 26% increase from the previous week when 818,815 tests were reported.
- The cumulative positivity rate is 10.5% and the test-per-case ratio is 9.5, similar to a positivity rate of 10.6% and test-per-case ratio of 9.5 in the previous week.
- 4% of Member States (2 countries) are reporting a test positivity rate higher than 12% this week.
CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR MEMBER STATES
- In-country IPC Step-down Training for all the districts in Uganda is completed (24th – 26th November 2021). 30 Regional Focal Points trained.
- 4th session of the IPC webinar 10th series held this week Wednesday on “Risk Assessment and Management in Healthcare Facilities”, 1,220 participants were trained on English session with Arabic and Portuguese interpretation. The French session will take place today.
ANNOUNCEMENT
On the 06th & 07th December 2021, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), African Medicines Agency (AMA) African Union Development Agency NEPAD (AUDA NEPAD), and Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) will be convening a high-level stakeholder’s engagement meeting to discuss the Progress made so far on implementing the Partnerships for Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa (PAVM).
The 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Executive Council decision EX.CL/Dec. 1129 (XXXIX) recognized PAVM as the coordinating mechanism and its leadership of the development of a continental vaccine manufacturing strategy and a framework for action.
The four core mandates of the PAVM are to:
- Steward a continental strategy that maintains scale and cost-competitiveness of local manufacturing and promotes equity and security for all
- Support partnerships to create a conducive business environment that will encourage the emergence of a thriving manufacturing base
- Play intermediation and partner role between Member States and the global community of supporters on an as-needed basis
- Communicate updates and serve as the central source of information for Africa vaccine manufacturing
The PAVM is now an effective entity that has started to articulate a detailed strategy (“Framework for Action”) for the years to come and, at the same time, deliver on these core mandates. It thus is and will continue to be at the Centre of the efforts to develop localized vaccine manufacturing in Africa, supporting all stakeholders – AU Member States, financiers, and manufacturers.
OBJECTIVES
- Update on progress made so far on the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa.
- Agree on an AU-endorsed approach to facilitate regulatory approval of vaccines produced in Africa.
- Discuss critical market shaping needs once African countries produce vaccines.
- Build on the momentum of vaccine manufacture hubs and pilot a drug API-final drug product Hub program.
You may participate virtually by registering on the below Zoom link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYrdeipqjgsGdYBhximbAEqqQDeA3Bp0PQH
After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.
COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE
- With regards to the current progress of vaccinations across the continent – as of 1st December, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total vaccine doses supplied: 417.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been procured by 54 Member States.
- Total vaccine doses administered: 235.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, which corresponds to 56.46% of the total supply available in Africa.
- Coverage: 7.00% of the population has been fully vaccinated on the continent.
- The following five countries have administered the most vaccine doses in Africa.
| Country | Doses administered | % of the supply | % of Population fully vaccinated |
| Morocco | 47 million | 69.37% | 61.43% |
| Egypt | 39.8 million | 51.71% | 14.39% |
| South Africa | 25.6 million | 81.06% | 24.41% |
| Algeria | 11.3 million | 51.02% | 11.16% |
| Mozambique | 10.5 million | 100% | 8.91% |
More details are provided on our dashboard (https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/)
- Eritrea is the remaining AU Member States yet to start COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
- AVAT J&J DELIVERIES
From 25th November to 1st December, 3.2 million doses of J&J doses were distributed to 7 AU Member states. Mozambique, Burkina faso, Rwanda, Egypt, Gabon, Congo republic, Ethiopia
The total number of AVAT deliveries(J&J) to 33 AU member states totals about 21.7 M doses. These are Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, DRC, Burkina Faso,Sao Tome and Principe, Burundi,. Also, 12, 000 doses were delivered to the African Union.
732,000 doses of the same were delivered to 6 Caribbean countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Belize, Antigua &Barbuda. Till date AVAT deliveries stand at about 22.4M doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
