Virtual Session link: Digital Session, Meeting ID: 973 3044 0205
Session objectives
- To describe COVID-19 experience in the African setting.
Session abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic in Africa has been puzzling to many public health experts given the fewer cases and deaths from COVID-19 than predicted. As of 22nd November 2020, the continent, comprising 1.3 billion people, had recorded 2,070,953 cases of COVID-19 and 49,728 deaths, representing approximately 3.6% of total global cases. Because of the continent’s overstrained and weak health systems, inadequate financing of health care, paucity in human resources, and challenges posed by existing endemic diseases including HIV, TB and malaria, earlier predictions suggested that up to 70 million Africans would be infected with SARS-CoV-2 by June 2020, with more than 3 million deaths. The opposite has instead happened on the African continent possibly driven by limited testing (which limits detection and isolation, and thus public health measures), a much younger population (and thus fewer severe cases and deaths), climatic differences (which could affect transmission), preexisting immunity, genetic factors, early implementation of public health measures, and timely leadership.
Event Timeslots (1)
ROOM 1 SPEKE
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KEY 01