Health
COVID-19: WHO Raises Concern over Third Wave in Africa
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Africa is facing a fast-surging third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with cases spreading more rapidly and projected to soon overtake the peak of the second wave the continent witnessed at the start of 2021.
The Geneva-based organisation explained that COVID-19 cases have risen for five consecutive weeks since the onset of the third wave on 3 May 2021.
Providing data as of June 20—day 48 into the new wave—Africa had recorded around 474 000 new cases—a 21 per cent increase compared with the first 48 days of the second wave. At the current rate of infections, the ongoing surge is set to surpass the previous one by early July.
A combination of factors including weak observance of public health measures, increased social interaction and movement as well as the spread of variants are powering the resurging in 12 African countries.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda that are experiencing COVID-19 resurgence, the Delta variant has been detected in most samples sequenced in the past month. Across Africa, the variant—first identified in India—has been reported in 14 countries.
Speaking on this, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, “The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. With rapidly rising case numbers and increasing reports of serious illness, the latest surge threatens to be Africa’s worst yet.
“Africa can still blunt the impact of these fast-rising infections, but the window of opportunity is closing. Everyone everywhere can do their bit by taking precautions to prevent transmission.”
WHO is deploying more experts to some of the worst-affected countries, including Uganda and Zambia as well as supporting South Africa-based regional laboratories to monitor variants of concern.
WHO is also boosting innovative technological support to other laboratories in the region without sequencing capacities to better monitor the evolution of the virus. In the next six months, WHO is aiming for an eight- to ten-fold increase in the samples sequenced each month in Southern African countries.
The COVID-19 upsurge comes as the vaccine supply crunch persists. Eighteen African countries have used over 80 per cent of their COVAX vaccine supplies, with eight having exhausted their stocks. Twenty-nine countries have administered over 50 per cent of their supplies.
Despite the progress, just over 1 per cent of Africa’s population has been fully vaccinated. Globally, around 2.7 billion doses administered, of which just under 1.5 per cent have been administered in the continent.
As many high-income countries vaccinate a significant proportion of their populations, proof of vaccination is leading to fewer movement restrictions.
Globally, 16 countries are waiving quarantine for those with a vaccination certificate. Measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission are crucial, but with many African countries having limited access to vaccines, it is important that vaccines be only one of the conditions countries use to open borders and increase freedom of movement.
“With high vaccination rates, it’s shaping up into a summer of freedom, family and fun for millions of people in richer countries. This is understandable and we all long for the same joys,” said Dr Moeti.
“Vaccine shortages are already prolonging the pain of COVID-19 in Africa. Let’s not add injury to injustice. Africans must not face more restrictions because they are unable to access vaccines that are only available elsewhere. I urge all regional and national regulatory agencies to recognize all the vaccines Emergency Use listed by WHO,” she added.
In the European Union, a COVID-19 passport system for vaccination, testing and recovery will take effect from July 1. However, only four of the eight vaccines listed by WHO for emergency use are recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the passport system.
WHO and the European Medicines Agency use the same standards in assessing vaccines. Manufacturers may choose not to apply to the European Medicines Agency if they do not intend to market their products in countries in the European Union or European Economic Area. But the safety and efficacy of all WHO emergency use listed vaccines have been proven globally in preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death.
In Africa, a WHO survey of 45 countries shows that their borders are open for air travel and only Mauritius will require proof of vaccination for international travellers from 15 July 2021. Most countries do not give quarantine exemptions for travellers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and require a negative COVID-19 test.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is considering flight restrictions and tighter border surveillance to prevent Ebola outbreaks from spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan into the country.
The move was discussed during a high-level strategic meeting held in Lagos on Thursday, where top government officials reviewed Nigeria’s Ebola preparedness and response framework amid growing concerns over outbreaks in parts of Africa.
Among those present at the meeting were Mr Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC); Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior; Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu; and Mr Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Gbajabiamila said President Tinubu had been fully briefed on the situation in the affected countries and assured Nigerians that the federal government would take all necessary steps to prevent any outbreak in Nigeria.
“We have a health scare, which is Ebola, and we all know what happened the last time. The cases are getting worse, internationally and worldwide, and we don’t want to leave anything to chance,” Mr Gbajabiamila said.
He explained that several preventive measures were being considered by the government, including restricting flights from countries affected by the outbreak.
“There were three or four areas we looked at. We looked at the issue of the possibility, as of now, of restricting flights from countries of interest. We looked at the possibilities of isolating passengers who may exhibit symptoms of Ebola,” he said.
“We looked at the possibility of isolating or using the cargo terminal to deal with passengers that are coming in from those areas, and of course, putting certain things in place, protocols in place; we believe that prevention is better than cure, and where some passengers slip through the cracks, then we must have ways of dealing with situations such as that.”
On his part, Mr Tunji-Ojo said the government had already directed that all entry points into Nigeria be placed under strict surveillance.
According to him, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would collaborate closely with the NCDC to strengthen early detection and rapid response mechanisms.
The NCDC Director-General also disclosed that preparedness plans had been activated across the 36 states of the federation, while public awareness campaigns would be intensified to educate citizens on preventive measures and response protocols.
The renewed alert comes years after the devastating 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, regarded as the deadliest in history, which claimed more than 4,500 lives across the region.
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.
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