COVID-19 Scientific and Public Health Policy Update – (15 December 2020)
In addition to our Weekly Outbreak Brief on the spread of COVID-19 and the actions that Africa CDC is taking to help African Union Member States. Africa CDC shares a weekly brief detailing the latest developments in scientific knowledge and public health policy from around the world, as well as updates to the latest guidance […]
PERC: Biweekly Report (24 November – 07 December 2020)
Reporting period: 24 November–7 December Biweekly Report With the prospect of a widely available COVID-19 vaccine for Africa still months away, health officials are concerned that travel for the December holidays will increase cases and overwhelm health system that are already taxed. As many AU Member States—and countries around the world—experience second waves, the lack […]
Outbreak Brief 47: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Outbreak Update: Since the last brief (1 December 2020), 4,079,785 new confirmed1 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 92,430 new deaths have been reported globally. To date, a total of 66,451,512 COVID-19 cases and 1,532,973 related deaths (case fatality rate (CFR): 2.3%) have been reported from 221 countries and territories. This week, no new country […]
Questions and answers on COVID-19 vaccine
How do vaccines work? Vaccines work by tricking your body into thinking it has been infected with a disease-causing organism (also called germs) such as a virus, prompting it to develop an immune reaction to the organism itself. This can be done in many different ways including growing the germ in a laboratory and then […]
Medical PPE production in Africa: Promoting Local Manufacturers to support the COVID-19 Response (Workshop report)
Context: The global pandemic has highlighted fragility in international supply chains and the dependency of many African countries on imported personal protective equipment (PPE). Market pressures have also increased prices for imported supplies and put additional pressure on areas with limited resources for procurement. There is an urgent operational need to develop the domestic capacity […]
Responding to the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Africa
The number of new COVID-19 cases being reported daily in the months of July and August in Africa declined rapidly. This trend reversed during the month of October with many countries now experiencing either their first major increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases or their second wave of the pandemic. As the pandemic […]
Outbreak Brief 46: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Outbreak Update: Since the last brief (24 November 2020), 3,935,585 new confirmed1 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 55,074 new deaths have been reported globally. To date, a total of 62,371,727 COVID-19 cases and 1,440,543 related deaths (case fatality rate (CFR): 2.4%) have been reported from 221 countries and territories. This week, no new country […]
Questions and answers on mask wearing
Questions and answers on mask wearing
Outbreak Brief 45: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Outbreak Update: Since the last brief (17 November 2020), 4,123,778 new confirmed1 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 68,185 new deaths have been reported globally. To date, a total of 58,436,142 COVID-19 cases and 1,385,469 related deaths (case fatality rate (CFR): 2.4%) have been reported from 221 countries and territories. This week, no new country […]
Promoting mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A policymaker’s guide
Executive Summary Use of face masks and cloth face coverings has been shown to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Along with handwashing and physical distancing, wearing a mask is one of three key measures that people can take to decrease their own risk of contracting COVID-19 and decrease the chances of […]