Covid-19: WHO fears up to 190,000 deaths in Africa

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On the African continent, 83,000 to 190,000 people could die from Covid-19 and 29 to 44 million could be infected during the first year of the pandemic if containment measures fail, according to a new study by the regional office of the 'WHO for Africa.

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The study is based on modeling and covers 47 countries in the African region of the World Health Organization, or one billion people.

The WHO model predicts a lower mortality rate than those observed in the most affected countries in the rest of the world. For example, nearly 75,000 people have so far died from coronavirus in the United States, a country of approximately 330 million people, which is presented as the most severely affected by the pandemic.

Africa could face 190,000 deaths in the 1st year of # COVID19 if containment measures such as contact tracing, isolation, hygienic practices and physical distancing are not put in place artwork. https://t.co/BY2Ey6h61H pic.twitter.com/NxjPSKLfLe

Why do people in Africa resist coronavirus better? For WHO, this is due to a younger population that has benefited from the control of communicable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis. This makes people less vulnerable.

The study also predicts a slower transmission rate in Africa, which could result in a prolonged epidemic over a few years.

Finally, it reveals a higher risk for small African countries located near Algeria , South Africa and Cameroon, if the containment measures are not applied there.  

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