WHO Africa Office - Africa marks six months since COVID-19 was first detected on the continent. While the virus has raced through many other regions of the world, the pandemic’s evolution on the African continent has been different.

1. Africamarks six monthsof COVID-19
13 August2020
WHO AfricanOffice - Africamarkssix monthssince COVID-19wasfirstdetectedonthe continent.
While the virushasraced throughmanyotherregionsof the world,the pandemic’sevolutiononthe
Africancontinenthasbeendifferent.
Preliminaryanalysisbythe WorldHealth Organization(WHO) findsthatanexponential surge in
caseswhichpeakabout twoto three weekslaterisnotoccurringinAfrica.Instead,manycountries
are experiencingagradual rise inCOVID-19cases and itis difficulttodiscernaspecificpeak.
Transmissionpatternsalsodifferbetweencountries,butmore importantlywithincountries.
At the onset,COVID-19mainlyaffectedcapital cities.However,the virusisnow movingfromhigh-
densityurbanareasto informal settlementsandthenonwardtorural areas that have a lower
populationdensity.
“In Africa,curbingCOVID-19isa marathonand nota sprint,”saidDr MatshidisoMoeti,WHO
Regional DirectorforAfrica.“We are observingmultiple local outbreakseachwiththeirown
infectionpatternsandpeaks.Itisbybolsteringthe responseatthe communitylevel thatwe will win
thisrace. The COVID-19response mustbe integratedintothe fabricof everyhealthdistrict.”
In the past six months,countrieshave made alotof progress.Many Africangovernmentswerequick
to impose lockdownsandkeypublichealthmeasuresthathelpedtoslow downthe virus.Overtime
preventive,diagnosticandtreatmentmeasureshave beenstrengthened.All countriescannow
diagnose COVID-19,with14 performingover100 tests per10 000 population.Productionof oxygen,
critical for severelyill COVID-19patients,hasalsoconsiderablyincreased,withthe numberof
oxygenplantsinthe regionrisingto119 from68 at the onset,while the numberof oxygen
concentratorshas more thandoubledtoover6000.
A recentWHO assessmentbasedonself-reportingby16 countriesinsub-SaharanAfricafoundthat
the countriesimprovedtheircapacitytorespondtoCOVID-19.WHO measuredcountries’readiness
ina range of areasincludingcoordination,surveillance,laboratorycapacity,case management,
infectionpreventionandcontrol.Six monthsago,the score was62% andnow itis 78%. While much
progressappearsto have beenmade atthe national level,atthe districtlevel countriesare generally
laggingbehind.The scoresforcoordination(38%),infectionpreventionandcontrol (46%) and
clinical care for patients(47%) are all particularlylow atthe districtlevel.
While progresshasbeenmade,itisimportantthatgovernmentsstepupreadinessandresponse
measures,particularlyatthe subnationallevels.Withthe looseningof movementrestrictions,there
are risksthat the virusmayspreadevenfurtherintoremote areasof the continent.
“Not onlymustwe keepupwiththe evolvingtrends,we mustalsoanticipate,predictandactfaster
to headoff potentiallydisastrousoutcomes,”saidDrMoeti.“Areasof hightransmission,aswell as
localitieswithrelativelyfewerinfectionsboth,deserveattention.Inshort,we mustbe strongon all
fronts.”
WHO has workedwithpartnerstoprovide technical support,trainingandessential medical supplies
includingthe deliveryof more than2.1 milliontestingkitsandthe trainingof around100 000 health
workers.

2. WHO is alsosupportingcountries witnessingalarge numberof COVID-19infections.Lastweek,the
firstmembersof a surge teamarrivedinSouthAfrica.WHO is alsoincreasingsupporttoother
countriesthathave requestedurgentassistance bymobilizingmore technical expertsonthe ground
and byscalingup trainingtobuildlocal capacity,particularlyatthe provincial anddistrictlevel.