Health
COVID-19-Related Deaths Fewer in Africa—WHO
By Adedapo Adesanya
A new World Health Organisation (WHO) pandemic assessment has found out that despite an 83 per cent surge in new COVID-19 cases during the past week in Africa, driven by the Delta and the Omicron variants, fewer deaths have been recorded than in the previous surges.
It, however, warned that more waves could be building as updated forecasts warn that the continent may not reach 70 per cent vaccine coverage until August 2024.
According to the report, Africa recorded more than 196,000 new cases for the week ending December 12, up from around 107,000 in the previous week, bringing the total cumulative number of recorded cases during the pandemic to 8.9 million.
The number of new COVID-19 cases is currently doubling every five days, the shortest reported this year while the speed of the spread is fast, deaths remain low and even dropped by 19 per cent last week compared with the previous week.
There were a little over 3,000 COVID-19-related deaths reported during the first three weeks of the current pandemic wave, which is Africa’s fourth.
WHO explained that about half as many cases were reported in the same time frame during the third wave which was fuelled by the Delta variant.
This upsurge in new cases coupled with low hospitalizations is particularly marked in South Africa which has experienced a 66 per cent rise in new cases during the past seven days compared with the previous seven days.
It noted that hospitalizations have increased by 67 per cent in the past seven days, the bed occupancy rate for Intensive Care Units remains low at 7.5 per cent with 14 per cent of the hospitalized patients receiving supplemental oxygen.
Though the deaths also remain low, WHO warned that the data should be interpreted with caution as the pattern may change in the coming weeks.
“We are cautiously optimistic that deaths and severe illness will remain low in the current wave, but slow vaccine rollout in Africa means both will be much higher than they should be,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“We’ve known for quite some time now that new variants like Beta, Delta or Omicron could regularly emerge to spark new outbreaks globally, but vaccine-deprived regions like Africa will be especially vulnerable.”
Vaccination coverage remains highly variable across the region. As of 13 December, only 20 African countries had vaccinated at least 10 per cent of their population—the global target WHO had set for September 2021.
Only six countries have hit the year-end target of fully vaccinating 40 per cent of their population, while only two countries—Mauritius and Seychelles—have reached the 70 per cent coverage seen as essential for controlling the pandemic.
At the current pace, WHO estimates that it will take until May of 2022 before Africa reaches 40 per cent coverage and August 2024 before it reaches the 70 per cent mark.
“In a world where Africa had the doses and support to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population by the end of 2021—a level many wealthy countries have achieved—we probably would be seeing tens of thousands of fewer deaths from COVID-19 next year.
“But we can still save many lives if we can accelerate the pace of vaccination in early 2022,” he added.
WHO data show that 53 African countries have initiated vaccination programmes, which have administered a total of 264 million doses (or 61 per cent of doses received).
Fully vaccinating 70 per cent of Africans requires about 1.6 billion more doses and strengthened efforts to increase vaccine demand.
Dr Moeti added that, “We’re at a pivotal moment in this pandemic where complacency is the enemy. With supplies starting to increase we now must intensify our focus on other barriers to vaccination. They include lack of funding, equipment, healthcare workers and cold chain capacity along with tackling vaccine hesitancy.”
According to the WHO Africa COVID-19 readiness dashboard, of the 34 countries that have submitted complete data, 28 countries (80 per cent) have engaged provinces and districts in preparations for vaccinations; 32 countries (91 per cent) have conducted national training initiatives, and 29 countries (82 per cent) have trained district vaccinators and volunteers.
To increase vaccination coverage, WHO is encouraging countries to move vaccination sites beyond health facilities and main cities and implement community-centred approaches. In an analysis of data collected from 40 countries, six countries confirmed having districts with no vaccination sites.
Meanwhile, Africa’s vaccine challenges are being compounded by Omicron-related travel bans.
Globally, there have been more than 2700 Omicron cases reported in 59 countries, including 11 African countries that account for about 33 per cent of the total cases.
However, Africa’s share is steadily dropping, and South Africa no longer leads the world in Omicron cases. Yet more than 70 countries continue to impose travel bans mainly targeting African countries.
In addition to vaccination coverage, WHO’s 2022 COVID-19 strategy for Africa includes a strong focus on surveillance aimed at increasing case detection, strengthening genomic surveillance to track new variants of concern as well as country capacity for appropriate case management including home-based isolation and care, and guarding against COVID-19 with key preventive measures amidst reduced risk perception.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed airlines, airport operators and other aviation stakeholders to intensify public health surveillance measures following the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
In a circular dated May 18, 2026, the NCAA said the directive became necessary due to growing concerns over the spread of the disease and the critical role of the aviation sector in preventing cross-border transmission.
The authority noted that although no confirmed case linked to the outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria, it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services and international health organisations to closely monitor the situation.
According to the NCAA, health authorities in the DRC recently identified a cluster of severe illnesses among healthcare workers in the Bunia Health Zone in the northeastern part of the country.
Recall that Nigeria also said it would tighten surveillance after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a public health emergency after Ebola killed over 80 people in Congo and Uganda.
Laboratory investigations later confirmed the presence of the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of the Ebola virus family known to cause severe viral haemorrhagic disease in humans.
The authority stated that there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for the Bundibugyo strain, while treatment remains largely supportive and symptom-based.
The NCAA listed symptoms associated with Ebola Virus Disease to include sudden fever, severe fatigue, persistent headache, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding manifestations such as nosebleeds or vomiting blood.
It stressed that early detection and immediate reporting remain critical to preventing the international spread of the disease.
As part of preventive measures, the authority said disease surveillance systems at airports have been strengthened, while contact tracing, case reporting mechanisms and border health screening procedures are also being reinforced.
The NCAA further directed pilots to notify Air Traffic Control of any suspected communicable disease cases onboard aircraft, in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.
It also instructed flight crew members to complete and submit Aircraft General Declaration forms for all suspected cases and mandated airlines to ensure passenger locator forms are completed and handed over to Port Health Services upon arrival.
The authority added that airlines must ensure aircraft are properly equipped with first aid kits, universal precaution kits and emergency medical kits.
It also urged operators to reinforce crew training on the identification and management of communicable diseases and ensure strict adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines.
The NCAA called on all aviation stakeholders to remain vigilant and comply fully with established public health protocols to safeguard passengers, crew members and the general public from potential health threats.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that although the country currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), it is, nevertheless, actively strengthening surveillance.
This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, after 80 deaths were attributed to the disease.
The WHO, however, stopped short of declaring a pandemic, saying it did not meet the necessary criteria. The United Nations agency advised countries against closing borders or restricting trade.
Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.
In a statement by its Director General, Mr Jide Idris, on Sunday, the NCDC noted that it is also ramping up laboratory readiness, infection prevention, and public awareness efforts across the country.
He said the centre was closely monitoring the situation due to increasing regional movement across African countries and was working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to strengthen preparedness within Nigeria’s public health system.
“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” he stated.
The NCDC boss described Ebola virus disease as a severe viral illness transmitted through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, secretions, or contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.
He noted that the disease has an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days, while symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, and, in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.
Recall that Nigeria gained international recognition for successfully containing an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos from Liberia.
Healthcare workers were advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola, especially in patients presenting symptoms compatible with the disease alongside relevant travel or exposure history.
Idris stressed the importance of strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures, including early identification and isolation of suspected cases, proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and prompt reporting through established channels.
“NCDC will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary,” he added.
NCDC advised Nigerians to remain calm, maintain good hand hygiene, avoid misinformation, and report unusual illnesses promptly.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine has been donated to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, by the corporate social responsibility arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, NNPC Foundation.
In a statement on Sunday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Andy Odeh, the state-owned oil organisation said the medical item was given to the healthcare institution as part of its commitment to improving healthcare access and strengthening medical infrastructure across Nigeria.
The MRI system is expected to significantly improve access to advanced diagnostic imaging services for millions of Nigerians across the South-East (Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States) as well as neighbouring Delta State.
The foundation also provided critical supporting infrastructure, including RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, specialised imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom communication facilities, and other patient comfort technologies designed to ensure optimal operation of the facility.
Before now, patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services often faced prolonged waiting periods, exorbitant costs, and the burden of travelling long distances in search of functional imaging centres.
But it is believed that the intervention of the NNPC Foundation would provide succour to patients.
At the presentation of the items to the institution over the weekend, the chief executive of the NNPC, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, described the intervention as a strategic investment in healthcare access, diagnostic precision, and improved patient outcomes, noting that the facility aligns with the company’s commitment to building sustainable systems and impactful national institutions.
“The installation of the MRI in NAUTH exemplifies our commitment, as our intent is to build enduring institutions, sustainable systems and legacies. This intervention aligns with our conviction that access to quality healthcare underpins human dignity, longevity and economic productivity,” Mr Ojulari stated.
He described the company’s social investments as viable currencies that strengthen the relationship between the Company’s core mandate of providing and managing energy for Nigerians and meeting stakeholders’ expectations.
In his remarks, the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Charles Soludo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the intervention would enhance safe and precise diagnosis and treatment for patients across the South-East region.
He also commended NNPC Foundation for donating the MRI facility to the state, noting that the intervention would significantly improve access to quality healthcare services for the people.
The Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof Joseph Ugboaja, thanked the donor for the items, saying NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distances to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we will eliminate that burden,” he enthused.
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