COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | OVERVIEW
- As of today, September 22nd, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total cases: Over 12 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in Africa, (12,064,071). This accounts for 2% of total cases reported globally.
- Total recoveries: Over 11.4 million people have recovered (11,437,432). This accounts for 95% of the total cases reported in Africa.
- Total deaths: Over 255 thousand deaths have been reported (255,733). This results in a cumulative case fatality rate (CFR) of 2.1%, and accounts for 4.1% of deaths reported globally.
- The following five countries account for 60% of all cases reported in Africa.
- South Africa: 33% of total cases (4,016,478)
- Morocco: 10% of total cases (1,264,822)
- Tunisia: 9% of total cases (1,145,345)
- Egypt: 4% of total cases (515,667)
- Libya: 4% of total cases (506,947)
- Case Fatality Rate (CFR): this week, 41 countries (75% of Member States), are reporting a CFR higher than the global average of 1.1%.
- 2 countries (Somalia and Sudan) are reporting a CFR higher than 5%.
- Twenty-eight countries experienced a 5th COVID-19 wave.
- 7 MS (Algeria, Congo Republic, Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Tunisia and Zambia) experienced a more severe 5th wave.
- Since the last briefing, ONE additional Member State (Mali) is experiencing a 5th wave.
- FIVE Member States (Algeria, Burundi, Kenya, Mauritius and Tunisia) experienced a 6th COVID-19 wave.
- Since the last briefing, NO additional Member State is experiencing a 6th wave.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | VARIANTS OF CONCERN (VOC)
- No change on MS reporting:
● The Alpha (B.1.1.7) VOC (50MS)
- The Beta (B.1.351) VOC (45 MS)
- The Delta (B.1.617.2) VOC (52 MS)
- The Gamma (GR/501Y.V3/P.1+P.1.1+P.1.2) VOC[1] (3 MS)
- Les Omicron GR/484A (B.1.1.529) VOC (51 MS)
- Les Omicron BA.2 sub-lineage (31 MS)
More details are provided in our dashboard: https://africacdc.org/institutes/ipg/
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | ONE-WEEK TREND ANALYSIS
- The following are trends for epidemiological week 37 (12 – 18 September 2022), compared to the previous epidemiological week 36 (5 – 11 September 2022):
- New cases: A total of 7,541 new cases were reported in Africa. This is a 42% increase from the previous week.
– The highest proportion of new cases is from the Eastern region (38%). The other regions are as follows:
- Southern region (28%)
- Western region (19%)
- Central region (8%)
- Northern region (7%)
– The following 5 countries are reporting the highest number of new cases:
- Mauritius (1,887)
- South Africa (1,632)
- Burundi (512)
- Tanzania (456)
- Nigeria (391)
- The following 5 countries are reporting the highest daily incidence per million population, (average number of new cases per million population per day):
- Seychelles (262)
- Mauritius (211)
- Sao Tome and Principe (10)
- The Gambia (6)
- Burundi (6)
- New deaths: A total of 43 new deaths were reported in Africa. This is a 43% increase from the previous week.
COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | FOUR-WEEK TREND ANALYSIS
- The following are trends over the past 4 epidemiological weeks, (22 August – 18 September 2022):
- New cases: There has been an overall 1% average decrease in new cases reported in Africa over the last 4 weeks.
- The following is a regional breakdown:
- 198% increase in the Eastern region
- 54% increase in the Central region
- 4% increase in the Western region
- 24%decrease in the Northern region
- 9% decreasein theSouthern region
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- DR Congo: 14% average increase
- Nigeria: 1% average increase
- South Africa: 1% average increase
- Ethiopia: 14% average decrease
- Kenya: 12% average decrease
- Egypt: No change
- New deaths: There has been an overall 4% average increase in new deaths reported in Africa each week.
- The following is a regional breakdown:
- 168% increase in the Western region
- 70% increase in the Southern region
- 30% increase in the Northern region
- 0.2% increase in the Eastern region
- No change in the Central region
- The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:
- South Africa: 1% average increase
- Ethiopia: 100% average decrease
- Nigeria: No change
- Egypt: No change
- DR Congo: No change
COVID-19 TESTING & MEDICAL SUPPLIES
- To date, over 122 million COVID-19 tests (122,715,457) have been conducted in African Union Member States since the pandemic started.
- Over 137 thousand new tests (137,188) were reported for epidemiological week 37 (12 – 18 September 2022).
- This is a 1% decrease from the previous week when 138,984 tests were reported.
- For epidemiological week 37 (12 – 18 September 2022), the positivity rate is 5% and the test-per-case ratio is 18.
- NO Member State is reporting a test positivity rate higher than 12% this week.
COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE
- With regards to the current progress of vaccinations across the continent – as 20 September 2022, African Union Member States are reporting the following:
- Total vaccine doses supplied: 953 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been procured by 54 Member States.
- Total vaccine doses administered: 685 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, which corresponds to 72% of the total supply available in Africa.
NB: Reduction in number due to reduction in number of doses administered in Rwanda
- Coverage: 22.2% of the total population (2022) has been fully vaccinated (primary series) on the continent.
2.7% coverage for booster doses
● The following 10 AU member States have vaccinated more than 40% of their total population:
| Countries | % Fully Vaxxed total pop (2022) (doses) | % Booster Coverage |
| Seychelles | 81.50% (0.08M) | 40.4% |
| Mauritius | 76.60% (1M) | 49.9% |
| Rwanda | 65.6% (8.9M) | 40.8% |
| Maroc | 61.90% (23.4M) | 18.0% |
| Botswana | 61.70% (1.5M) | 16.2% |
| Liberia | 55.9% (3.0 M) | |
| Cape Verde | 55.20% (0.3M) | 16.8% |
| Tunisia | 52.80% (6.4M) | 10.3% |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 45.60% (0.1M) | 11.2% |
| Mozambique | 44.40% (14.6M) | 1.8% |
NB: Those in bold are the changes this past week.
- The Eight (8) Member States with Percentage fully vaccinated coverage(total population) below 10% are:
| Countries | % Fully Vaxxed total pop (2022) |
| Sudan | 9.9% |
| Mali | 8.2% |
| Senegal | 6.2% |
| Madagascar | 4.9% |
| Cameroon | 4.5% |
| DRC | 3.2% |
| Burundi | 0.2% |
| Sahrawi Republic | 0.1% |
- This week, Malawi surpassed the 10% coverage rate for fully vaccinated with 12%
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:
79,200 doses of J&J were delivered to Madagascar.
In total, as at 20 September 2022, 81,492,700 doses of J&J have been delivered thus far to 35 African Member states and the African Union:
- 56,236,800 through AU/J&J,
- 17,899,200 through SLL, and
- 7,356,700 through USG donations.
The 35 member states are, Egypt, Rwanda, Angola, Kenya, Ghana, Tunisia, Libya, Zambia, Botswana, Mauritania, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, Malawi, Ethiopia, Uganda, Togo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo republic, DRC, The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, and Sudan.
Note:
Africa CDC has changed the denominator of the calculation for percentage fully vaccinated to from 2020 population to 2022 population estimates (UNFPA) to give accurate projections from effective population size (Ne) perspectives. The resulting effect is that there will be a slight reduction in Coverage percentages of total population of Member States on the continent.
New Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment launched in Africa
The new public-private partnership dubbed the ‘Covid Treatment Quick Start Consortium’ for the treatment of COVID-19 with oral antiviral tablet PAXLOVID will be implemented in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This initiative will be executed by Duke University, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Americares organization that will serve as the consortium’s implementing partners while Open Society Foundations, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Pfizer will be providing financial support.
The project has been kick-started through a donation by Pfizer of 100,000 courses of PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir), for which the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a strong recommendation for use in high-risk individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19, administered within five days of symptom onset. The regimen is two tabs of nirmatrelvir and one tab of ritonavir together by mouth two times a day for 5 days. The data showed that participants (all of whom were unvaccinated) who were given Paxlovid were 89% less likely to develop severe illness and death compared to trial participants who received a placebo without evident safety concerns.
This is not a substitute for vaccines for people who are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and/or need a booster shot.
UPDATES ON SLL IMPLEMENTATION
- Overview:
- Of the 55 African Union Member States –
- 49 Member States are engaged with the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) Programme.
- 34 have completed microplans, with 19 of these approved, as of August 24, 2022.
- Of the 55 African Union Member States –
- Since June 2022, Africa CDC, with the support of the Mastercard Foundation and its Implementing Partners, has begun in 6 Member States: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Namibia, and Lesotho.
- Updates on MS in implementation:
- Rwanda has begun vaccination and from September 1 to 10 – over 10,000 people vaccinated.
- Comoros is beginning implementation this week and a team has been deployed.
- Tanzanie is set to begin implementation on September 26,2022.
- Namibia consistently continue to provide vaccination following the joint mass campaign between the government and Africa CDC.
- Kenya continue to see increasing vaccination uptake.
- Africa CDC continue to support Éthiopie for the next mass campaign that has seen an increase of 3% vaccine coverage 45%.
- Lesotho has started vaccination.
- Africa CDC has begun supporting for 3 states in Nigeria.
- Implementation has begun in the DRC and the launching is set for today September 22, 2022.
- In the coming weeks
Implementation will begin in South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Togo and Cape Verde.
[1] The new Pango lineage v4.0.6 (2022-04-24) tool being used by GISAID to assign lineage from last week has reclassified the previous sequences.
