Africa reports highest COVID-19 weekly death toll

Africa's COVID-19 vaccination drive has lagged behind other regions as the continent struggles to obtain the vital jabs. (Photo by Nicolas Fauque / Images de Tunisie / ABACAPRESS.COM Photo via CFP)

Africa reported more than 6,400 COVID-19 deaths in the week ended August 1, marking the highest seven-day toll since the onset of the pandemic on the continent.

The data published by the World Health Organization (WHO), shows a two percent rise compared to the previous week, with South Africa and Tunisia accounting for over 55 percent of the fatalities.

The agency noted a rise in death tolls in 15 countries on the continent, with 12 recording higher case fatality rates than the African average of 2.5 percent over the last month.

Africa has so far reported more than 172,000 COVID-19 deaths, accounting for over 4 percent of the global virus-related fatalities.

"The latest data tells us that Africa is still on the crest of the third wave, still recording more cases than in any earlier peak, and that we cannot take anything for granted," said Dr Phionah Atuhebwe, New Vaccines Introduction Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa.

COVID-19 cases on the continent rose by 19 percent to over 278,000 during the week under review. South Africa accounted for 29 percent of the cases, which remain close to Africa's record high of 286,000 weekly cases recorded in early July.

In total, South Africa's 2,484,009 infections dwarf the tallies reported by other African countries. It accounts for 36.22 percent of the continent's caseload.

Only Morocco (653,286) and Tunisia (602,757) have reported more than 500,000 COVID-19 cases.

Many countries on the continent have rolled out mass vaccination campaigns, targeting groups considered to be at high risk.

The vaccination drive has however lagged behind other regions as the continent struggles to obtain the vital jabs.

This is however expected to change after the African Union (AU) on Thursday began the delivery of some 220 million doses of the Johnson Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to member states, with the potential to distribute an additional 180 million doses in the future.

Some 6.4 million doses are expected to be shipped in August. Monthly shipments will continue and be continually ramped up, with a target of delivering about 50 million vaccines by the end of December.

The national vaccination campaigns are supported by other government-imposed measures to contain further spread of the virus, including mandatory wearing of face coverings, bans on public gatherings, nighttime curfews and lockdowns.