Coronavirus infections in Africa cross 2.9M mark

YAOUNDE, Cameroon

With more COVID-19 infections recorded over the past 24 hours, the number of total cases in Africa now stands at 2.98 million, according to an Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) update late Saturday.

At least 71,463 patients have died so far and 2.43 million have recovered, said the Ethiopian-based organization.

Southern Africa, with 1.34 million cases and 34,789 deaths, remains the continent’s worst-hit region. However, it also accounts for the highest number of recoveries, at over 1 million.

Some 973,979 cases have been reported in North Africa, 331,558 in East Africa, 260,204 in West Africa, and 77,344 in Central Africa.

South Africa, the worst-hit country on the continent, has registered 1.21 million cases with 32,824 deaths and 956,712 recoveries, said the country's Health Ministry late Saturday.

“The first batch of 1.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, which will reach our shores this month, will be reserved for our healthcare workers across the spectrum, including doctors, nurses, general workers and security staff from both the public and private sectors,” tweeted South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Saturday.