Africa's COVID-19 fatalities surpass 190,000 mark

FILE PHOTO: A security guard opens the door for a customer exiting Awolowo glass house in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, March 29, 2021. (Adetona Omokanye/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The number of COVID-related fatalities in Africa has surpassed the 190,000 mark as the continent ramps up vaccination efforts to contain further spread of the virus.

According to the latest data by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the total number of deaths reached 190,152 from a total caseload of 7,559,099.

South Africa remains to be the hardest-hit country on the continent, with 2,698,605 infections and 79,584 deaths.

Morocco has recorded the continent’s second-highest case tally of 821,129 while Tunisia’s 22,609 deaths are the second-highest national fatality rate.

Eight countries on the continent have registered more than 200,000 COVID-19 infections, South Africa and Morocco included.

The continent has shifted its focus on mass vaccination campaigns in efforts to slow down further spread of the virus.