Driven by delta variant, COVID-19 surges across Africa

Driven by the delta variant, a new wave of COVID-19 is sweeping across the African continent where new cases, hospital admissions, and deaths are increasing

JOHANNESBURG -- Driven by the delta variant, a new wave of COVID-19 is sweeping across the African continent where new cases, hospital admissions, and deaths are increasing. South Africa is leading the new surge in Africa, where case numbers are doubling every three weeks, according to the World Health Organization. “The speed and scale of Africa’s third wave is like nothing we’ve seen before," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's regional director for Africa. The delta variant, reported in 16 African countries, has become dominant in South Africa, which accounts for more than half of Africa’s new cases. It was detected in 97% of samples sequenced in Uganda and in 79% of samples sequenced in Congo, said WHO.