Why Africa Witnessed Lower Rates Of Death Due To Covid?
The West and Central Africa are at the centre of the scientific debate due to lesser cases of coronavirus infection, hospitalisation, and casualties. The majority of the patients in regional hospitals suffer from malaria, and the covid ward is deserted. People happily gather for wedding parties, soccer matches, and music concerts without masks or face covers.
The experts in the continent are amazed and look divided. They have doubts like count of infectious diseases or deaths is not accurate, if the people have developed such a strong immunity, how sub-Saharan Africa has survived in the covid-19 wave, and more. Scientists and experts are still trying to figure out, but the mystery is still unrevealed.
The statement that Covid isn’t a life-threatening danger in Africa has spurred controversy about whether the African Union’s attempt to vaccinate 70 percent of Africans this year is the most outstanding utilisation of healthcare resources, considering the destruction caused by other infections like malaria.
During the first phase of pandemic, The World Health Organization had anticipated that the virus might get brutal in Africa as the continent has a weaker health system. There are only three doctors in every 100,000 people. Previously, the diseases like H.I.V, tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition had done a lot of damage.
It just did not happen overnight. The virus’s original generation, which raced worldwide, had a relatively minor impact here. The Beta variant and Delta and Omicron destroyed South Africa, although the rest of the continent did not see comparable casualty rates.
An epidemiologist at Boston University, Dr Lawrence Mwananyanda, is also surprised by this mysterial fact. He said, “If that is happening in South Africa, why should it be different here?” Moreover, Dr Mwananyanda also mentioned that South Africa has far better and stronger healthcare facilities than West and Central Africa, but the death rates are still higher.