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, February 24th, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total cases: Over 11.1 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in Africa, (11,146,001). This accounts for 3% of total cases reported globally.
- Total recoveries: Over 10.3 million people have recovered (10,311,143). This accounts for 92% of the total cases reported in Africa.
- Total deaths: Over 247,000 deaths have been reported (247,783). This results ina cumulative case fatality rate (CFR) of 2.2%,and accounts for 4.2% of deaths reported globally.
- The following five countries account for 60% of all cases reported in Africa.
- South Africa: 33% of total cases (3,662,032)
- Morocco: 10% of total cases (1,159,584)
- Tunisia: 9% of total cases (990,483)
- Libya: 4% of total cases (489,940)
- Ethiopia: 4% of total cases (468,426)
- Case Fatality Rate (CFR): this week, 33 countries (60% of Member States), are reporting a CFR higher than the global average of 1.4%.
- 3 countries (Egypt, Somalia and Sudan) are reporting a CFR higher than 5%.
- 96% of Member States (53 countries) experienced the 3rd COVID-19 wave. 37 (70%) MS are experiencing a more severe 3rd wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 3rd wave.
- 86% of Member States (47 countries) are experiencing a 4th COVID-19 wave. 31 (66%) MS are experiencing a more severe 4th wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 4th wave.
- Nine countries (Algeria, Benin, Congo Republic, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritius, Somalia and Tunisia) are experiencing a 5th COVID-19 wave. 6 (67%) MS are experiencing a more severe 5th wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 5th wave.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | VARIANTS OF CONCERN (VOC)
- 48 countries are now reporting the Alpha (B.1.1.7) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 44 countries are now reporting the Beta (B.1.351) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 49 countries are now reporting the Delta (B.1.617.2) VOC.
Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is reporting this variant.
- 6 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 is reporting this variant.
- 43 Member States are now reporting the Omicron GR/484A (B.1.1.529)
Since the last briefing, THREE additional Member States (Cameroon, Djibouti and Sudan) are reporting this variant.
- Since November 2021, 9 Member States have reported the Omicron BA.2 sub-lineage: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.
More details are provided in our dashboard:
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | ONE-WEEK TREND ANALYSIS
- The following are trends for epidemiological week 7 (14 – 20 February 2022), compared to the previous epidemiological week 6 (7 – 13 February 2022):
- New cases: A total of 84,829 new cases were reported in Africa. This is a 17% decrease from the previous week.
- The highest proportion of new cases is from the Northern region (68%). The other regions are as follows :
- Southern region (25%)
- Eastern region (4%)
- Western region (2%)
- Central region (1%)
- The following 5 countries are reporting the highest number of new cases:
- Tunisia (19,936)
- South Africa (16,736)
- Egypt (14,865)
- Libya (13,638)
- Morocco (3,532)
- The following 5 countries are reporting the highest daily incidence per million population, (average number of new cases per million population per day):
- Seychelles (923)
- Libya (282)
- Tunisia (241)
- Mauritius (183)
- Botswana (129)
- New deaths: A total of 2,803 new deaths were reported in Africa compared to 2,630 from the previous week. This represents a 7% increase 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, (24 January – 20 February 2022):
- New cases: There has been an overall 21% average decrease in new cases reported in Africa over the last 4 weeks.
- The following is a regional breakdown:
- 41%decreasein the Central region
- 28% decrease in the Western region
- 25%decreasein the Eastern region
- 21%decrease in the Northern region
- 14%decrease in the Southern region
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- DR Congo: 22% average increase
- Egypt: 12% average increase
- Kenya: 44% average decrease
- Ethiopia: 34% average decrease
- Nigeria: 29% average decrease
- South Africa: 7% average decrease
- New deaths: There has been an overall 5% average increase in new deaths reported in Africa each week.
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- South Africa: 22% average increase
- Egypt: 17% average increase
- Nigeria: 53% average decrease
- Kenya: 30% average increase
- Ethiopia: 15% average decrease
COVID-19 TESTING & MEDICAL SUPPLIES
- To date, over 98.7 million COVID-19 tests (98,705,003) have been conducted in African Union Member States since the pandemic started.
- Over 951,000 new tests (951,597) were reported for epidemiological week 7 (14 – 20 February 2022).
- This is a 9% decrease from the previous week when 1,040,415 tests were reported.
- The cumulative positivity rate is 11.3% and the test-per-case ratio is 8.9.
- For epidemiological week 7 (14 – 20 February 2022), the positivity rate is 9% and the test-per-case ratio is 11.2, which is a decrease (9%) in the positivity rate and an increase (10%) in the test-per-case ratio compared to the previous week, respectively.
- 5% of Member States (3 countries) are reporting a test positivity rate higher than 12% this week.
CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR MEMBER STATES
- Last week, Africa CDC has conducted the IPC webinar 11th series 2nd session on “Improve knowledge of Healthcare workers in building confidence and influencing the decision of the patients IPC Measures and lessons learnt from COVID-19” in English with Portuguese and Arabic interpretation. 654 participants were trained.
- English session recording: https://youtu.be/7W6OEKvivzw
- French session recording: https://youtu.be/d_PVL4GlS1w
- This week Africa CDC is conducting the Planning meeting for the high-level advocacy meeting for the IPC Legal Framework scheduled for 23rd to 25th February 2022 in Lusaka Zambia.
ANNOUNCEMENT
- Africa CDC is launching in March 2022 the African Union Youth for COVID-19 Vaccination Initiative (AU Vaccination Bingwa Initiative) as part of its wide Programme of Saving Lives and Livelihoods.
- The Africa CDC has engaged with the AUC Youth Division and the AU Youth Envoy on this initiative.
- The campaign will be framed around the Saving lives, saving livelihoods and H.E Chairperson’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative.
- The epicenter of the campaign will be youth leadership.
- The campaign will be launched at the highest level with representation from AU political leadership, partners and young people.
- Africa CDC has published its Guidance on Administration of COVID-19 vaccine boosters:
- In line with previous Africa CDC guidance, Member States should consider extending vaccination to younger age groups to attain global targets.
- Where supplies allow, AU Member States should administer COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to address waning of immunity, especially in the dawn of immune escape from VoC, such as Omicron.
Read out: https://africacdc.org/download/guidance-on-administration-of-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-in-africa/
COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE
- With regards to the current progress of vaccinations across the continent – as of 24th February, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total vaccine doses supplied: 676 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been procured by 54 Member States.
- Total vaccine doses administered: 411 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, which corresponds to 61% of the total supply available in Africa.
- Coverage: 12.3% of the population has been fully vaccinated on the continent.
- The following 14 AU member States have vaccinated more than 40% of their eligible population:
| Countries | % Fully Vaxxed eligible pop | Plus boosters |
| South Africa | 41.3 | |
| Tunisia | 56.3 | |
| Egypt | 41.4 | |
| Rwanda | 85.3 | |
| Botswana | 69.4 | |
| Morocco | 107.7 | plus boosters |
| Seychelles | 115.7 | plus boosters |
| Cape Verde | 73.5 | |
| Comoros | 49.5 | |
| Eswatini | 41 | |
| Lesotho | 49.9 | |
| Mauritius | 89.7 | |
| Mozambique | 48.8 | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 45.3 |
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 DELIVERIES
To date 38.3 Million J & J doses have been delivered to 35 African Union Member States including the African Union Commission : Lesotho, Togo, Mauritius, Angola, Ghana, Tunisia, Cameroon, Egypt, Botswana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry (GN), Liberia, Congo Brazzaville (CG),Sudan, Zambia, Senegal, Gambia, Mozambique, Benin, Namibia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burkina Faso, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Burundi, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau.
- We forecast that by end of the first quarter, Africa will receive:
- A Total of 303 983 057 doses of vaccines (AVAT + COVAX)
- AVAT Q1 Forecast = 44 627 870
- Covax Q1 2022 Delivery forecast = 261 133 305
- AVAT Q1 Donation = 13 168 800
- A Total of 303 983 057 doses of vaccines (AVAT + COVAX)
- Countries Offering Booster Doses
Twenty-five (25) Africa Union Member States are offering booster shots (Pfizer BioNtech, J&J) following “full” vaccination with one or two dose regime.
They are Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda (>50), Angola, Algeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Libya, Zambia, Botswana, Mauritania, Mauritius (18-59), Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe, Nigeria (18+), Mozambique, Guinea, Cabo Verde, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea (60+), Gabon (60+), Cameroon. Only 18 of these are reporting the data.
