COVID-19: Unpacking the low number of cases in Africa

Itai Chitungo; Mathias Dzobo; Mbuzeleni Hlongwa; Tafadzwa Dzinamarira

Public Health in Practice (Nov 2020)

COVID-19: Unpacking the low number of cases in Africa

Itai Chitungo,
Mathias Dzobo,
Mbuzeleni Hlongwa,
Tafadzwa Dzinamarira

Affiliations

Itai Chitungo: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Mathias Dzobo: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Mbuzeleni Hlongwa: Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4001, South Africa
Tafadzwa Dzinamarira: Corresponding author.; Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4001, South Africa

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 1
p. 100038

Abstract

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected over nineteen million people globally with over 700 000 fatalities as of 9 August 2020. To date, Africa has recorded the least amount of COVID-19 confirmed cases. As of 9 August 2020, Africa has 1, 037, 135 cases compared to 10, 615, 855 in Americas and 3, 061, 264 in Europe. In this piece, the authors unpack the low numbers of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa - is it a case of limited testing capacity due to poor health systems or otherwise?

Published in Public Health in Practice

ISSN: 2666-5352 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/public-health-in-practice

About the journal

Abstract

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