[Epidemiological specificities of COVID-19 in Africa: Current or future public health concern?]

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Africa is the continent which is the least equipped to fight the COVID-19 epidemic. However, Africa, which represents 17 % of the world's population, is estimated to have only 5 % of global cases (source: WHO on 2020/08/04). In this work, the authors try to identify and understand the reasons for these epidemiological data.

Method

Some follow-up indicators have been carried out, mainly through WHO reports. These data were compared with the literature and the field expertise of the association "Biologie sans frontières" in Africa.

Results

The following points mark the particularity of COVID-19 in Africa: (1) insufficient diagnostic capacity (linked to gross national product), (2) a younger population limiting the population at risk and the number of deaths,

SUBMITTER: Hardy EJL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7571419 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature