Health officials in Africa have called for an urgent acceleration in the supply of vaccines to the continent to curb a new wave of Covid-19 infections and the evolution of new, potentially dangerous variants. Fewer than one in 100 people on the continent have received a vaccine, meaning the surging infections are likely to kill tens of thousands. The WHO say the Delta variant is present in 14 countries on the continent and the Beta variant, first detected in South Africa, in 25. At least seven African countries have run out of vaccines and seven more have used 80% of their stocks. Among the worst-hit countries are South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda and Namibia. The third wave of infections in South Africa has come after multiple delays to its vaccine programme. The country has recorded 58,000 deaths from Covid, though excess mortality figures suggest the true total is closer to 160,000.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN