African countries have been experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases over the past few days, raising concerns among health experts that massive outbreaks in the region could be imminent.
South African Cases Surge
On Sunday, the South African health ministry reported 11,233 new COVID-19 cases, raising the country's total infection toll to 445,433.
The news came roughly a week after the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the spike in daily cases in South Africa could be a sign that the novel coronavirus is spreading further across the region.
It is also worth noting that South Africa has become the world's fifth hardest-hit country, only behind Russia. It is expected that the numbers will climb further in the coming days.
Low Fatality Rate Misleading?
Compared with other countries, South Africa has a fairly low coronavirus fatality rate. However, experts said the low number of deaths can be misleading.
Aside from inadequate testing capacity at healthcare facilties, many people in the country still fear going to hospitals even if they develop symptoms. The underreporting in some towns could be a reason that fatality numbers are low, experts said.
Health experts further argue that people who develop symptoms may be dying at home instead of seeking prompt treatment due to fear of complications and other diseases.
As of Sunday, there have been 6,769 deaths linked to COVID-19 in the country.
Ghana Closes in on 32,000 Cases
The Ghana Health Service on Sunday reported 794 additional confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the national infection toll to 31,851.
Recoveries have also been climbing over the past days, with 637 new recovered patients on Sunday. The national recovery toll now stands at 28,438.
Despite the low overall numbers in Ghana and other African nations, some experts have pointed out that Ghana's daily cases have gradually been climbing. The steady surge in cases has shined a light on the country's weak health system.
Kenya Reports Record-High Increase in Daily Infections
In Kenya, things have been escalating fast over the past few days. The country on Sunday reported a record-high surge of 960 cases in daily new infections since the pandemic started. The country now has a total of 17,603 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The news came roughly two days after Kenya government spokesman Cyrus Oguna confirmed that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Oguna revealed through social media that he developed symptoms and decided to have a test. Following the positive results from testing, Oguna said he has started receiving treatment.
Africa Cases Soars Past 800,000 Cases
The African region on Sunday soared to a grim milestone as confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 828,214. The region's overall fatality toll now stands at 17,509.
While the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the region is not as devastating as in the West, health experts continue to express concerns about weak health systems in many African countries.
Analysts believe inadequate equipment for intensive care unit patients could exacerbate the COVID-19 issue.
