Although the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been slower in many African countries when compared to the global level, the continental case-fatality ratio is now higher than the global rate. Almost all African Union Member States have experienced at least two waves of cases, with most experiencing a more severe second wave.COVID-19 will likely continue to cause widespread illness and death in Africa, particularly in people with advanced age and/or underlying illnesses. Africa’s baseline vulnerability is also high, given its relatively fragile health systems, concurrent epidemics of vaccine-preventable and other infectious diseases, inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, population mobility, and susceptibility for social and political unrest during times of crisis. It also continues to affect the global and continental economies and threaten individuals’ livelihoods. In addition to the social and economic disruptions caused by the disease and some of the measures used to contain it, progress on vaccination campaigns globally is making travel and other activities for unvaccinated persons difficult, which has the potential to cause further harm to lives and livelihoods.
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