WHO: South America has become a new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic
GENEVA (Reuters) - South America has become a new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic with Brazil hardest-hit, while cases are rising in some African countries that so far have a relatively low death toll, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
“The COVID-19 pandemic today reached a milestone in Africa, with more than 100,000 confirmed cases. The virus has now spread to every country in the continent since the first case was confirmed in the region 14 weeks ago,” the WHO said in a statement, noting there were 3,100 confirmed deaths on the vast continent.
Dr. Matshediso Moti, WHO's Africa Regional Director from Botswana, said: "So far, Covid 19 has softened the soil in Africa, and the continent has been spared the massive number of casualties that have plagued other countries. The world has been destroyed
Nevertheless, he said, "we should not be complacent because our health systems are fragile and unable to cope with the sudden increase in cases."
The WHO says about half of African countries face community transmission of the virus.
The situation in South America became acute. "In a sense, South America has become a new epicenter of the disease," said Dr. Mike Ryan, an emergency specialist who spoke ahead of a news conference.
He said Brazil was "the most affected" and that authorities there had approved the widespread use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxyrochloroquine to treat Covid 19. He reiterated that clinical evidence does not support the widespread use of drugs against the disease, given its dangers.
Nine African countries saw a 50 percent increase in cases last week, while others have seen declines or stable rates, Ryan said.
The low mortality rate may be due to the fact that half of the continent's population is 18 or less. He said he was concerned that the disease would spread across a continent with "significant differences" in intensive care services, medical oxygen and ventilation.
0 Comments