COVID19 Report for May 2021

As of the 27^th of May, African Union Member States had reported the following:

• Total cases: 4,788,216 COVID-19. This accounts for 2.8% of total cases reported globally.
• Total recoveries – 4,335,780 This accounts for 91% of the total cases reported in Africa.
• Total deaths: 129,300. This results in a case fatality rate (CFR), of 2.7%, and accounts for 3.7% of deaths reported globally.
• Case Fatality Rate (CFR): 21 countries (38% of Member States), were reporting a CFR higher than the global average of 2.1%1

Variants

• 49% of Member States (27 countries) were reporting the B.1.1.7 variant, originally reported in the UK.
• 47% of Member States (26 countries), were reporting the B.1.351 variant, originally reported in South Africa.
• 18% of Member States (10 countries), were reporting the B.1.617 variant, originally reported in India.

COVID-19 Epidemiology Update | Four week trend analysis

The following are trends analysis over the past 4 epidemiological weeks, (26 April – 23 May 2021):

New cases

There was an overall 0.4% average decrease in new cases reported in Africa each week.

The following is a regional breakdown:

• 136% increase in the Central region
• 21% increase in the Southern region
• 4% decrease in the Northern region
• 11% decrease in the Western region
• 17% decrease in the Eastern region

New deaths

There was an overall 1% average increase in new deaths reported in Africa each week.

The following is a breakdown by the most populous countries in Africa:

South Africa: 14% average increase

• Egypt: 7% average increase
• Ethiopia: 18% average decrease
• Kenya: 18% average decrease
• DR Congo: 21% average decrease
• Nigeria: 17% average decrease

COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE

As of 24th May 2021, a total of over 43 million vaccine doses had been acquired by Member States, with approximately 28 million doses having been administered. This figure corresponds to a coverage rate of 1.62% at the continental level, with 0.46% of the population having received a full vaccine regimen (up by 0.04 percent points from the previous week).

To date, AU Member States have used 64.93% of the vaccine supply available, representing approximately a 0.8% increase since the last briefing.

In terms of progress, the following are the top five Member States that have administered the most doses of COVID-19 vaccines (based on available country data):

• Morocco (12.71 million doses, 99.23% of its supply, 13.21 % of the population fully vaccinated)
• Nigeria (1.93 million doses, 45.5% of supply. 0.94% of the population vaccinated)
• Ethiopia (1.64 million doses, 67.38% of supply, 1.46% of the population vaccinated)
• Egypt ( 1.70 million doses, 45% of supply, 0.24% of the population fully vaccinated)
• Kenya (954,515 doses, 93.58% of supply, 1.77% of the population vaccinated)

In the week ending 29 May, US biotechnology firm Moderna had said that recent trials of its COVID-19 vaccine shows it to be safe and effective on adolescents aged 12 to 17.

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