As of 18:00 on the evening of December 28th, Eastern Africa Time, data from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the total number of confirmed cases of in Africa was 2,664097, the cumulative number of deaths from new coronary pneumonia was 62,808, and the cumulative number of cured cases of new coronary pneumonia was 2,228470 .
According to data from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most severely affected country in Africa is South Africa. The cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa has exceeded one million, reaching 1004413. The second most severe cases are Morocco , Egypt, and Tunisia. , Ghana and Ethiopia. The cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in Morocco has exceeded 430,000, the cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in Egypt and Tunisia has exceeded 130,000, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in Ethiopia has exceeded 120,000.
Why did the number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa increase rapidly during the public holidays at the end of the year?
Recently, the number of new cases of new coronary pneumonia in African countries has increased rapidly. Among them, the growth rate of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa is particularly prominent. It is understood that South Africa experienced the peak of the first wave of new crown pneumonia from July to August this year. At that time, the number of new confirmed cases in a single day in South Africa was about 13,000, and then gradually dropped to about 2,000. Since the end of November, the number of new confirmed cases in a single day in South Africa has gradually increased. Especially from December 23 to 25, the number of new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa in a single day has exceeded 14,000. In addition, it took about two weeks for the cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa to rise from 800,000 to 900,000, and it took only 9 days for the increase from 900,000 to 1 million. This growth rate has caused widespread concern from all walks of life. . It is reported that in view of this situation, Z1z South Africa’s President Z2z Ramaphosa will hold an emergency meeting with the government cabinet, and will deliver a national speech again in the near future to announce new epidemic control measures. In fact, as early as mid-December, the South African government announced measures to enforce the curfew again, shorten the sales time of alcohol products, close beaches in tourist hotspots, and strictly limit the number of parties to strengthen the country’s epidemic prevention and control. The effect is not obvious. So what are the reasons for the surge in confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa in recent times? According to the reporter’s observation, it can be attributed to the following reasons:
△The crowd gathering at the seaside of Cape Town, South Africa during the holidays
1. South Africa is currently in the year-end welcome public holiday. People from all over the country return home from vacation, travel across provinces, The number of visits to relatives and friends and family gatherings has increased significantly.
2. A mutant new coronavirus named "501.V2" was found in South Africa. It is said to spread faster than before and is more infectious. South Africa’s Health Minister Mukez once said that the mutant new coronavirus It may be one of the leading reasons for the recent surge in new coronary pneumonia cases in the country.
3. During the holidays, South African people are less conscious of strictly complying with sanitation and epidemic prevention regulations in public and entertainment places, and their vigilance against the new crown virus is also significantly less than before. According to statistics from the South African Ministry of Health, the majority of the infected are especially young people aged 15-19. A typical example is the group infection of the new coronavirus that occurred in South Africa at the end of November. High school graduates across the country held carnival parties to celebrate their graduation, and even a large number of students from across the province participated, and they did not adopt epidemic prevention measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance. South African economic center Gauteng province health department said that there are more than 1,300 students attending parties across provinces that have been documented in the province alone, and nearly 1,000 of them have been infected with the new crown virus.
Many African countries have adjusted their epidemic prevention measures to increase the control of the epidemic on public holidays at the end of the year
1. South Africa, Zambia, Angola and other African countries announced that they will increase their police force on public holidays and increase law enforcement to monitor and ensure that the public is strict during the holidays. Comply with sanitation and epidemic prevention regulations.
2. In response to the emergence of a faster-spreading mutant new coronavirus in South Africa, Mauritius, Sudan, and Angola have taken measures to suspend flights with South Africa.
3. African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia , Angola have also strengthened the prevention and control of the epidemic on public holidays by banning New Year celebrations.
4. South Africa, MoroccoRogo, , Namibia, and have also implemented curfews, restricted the number of parties, and restricted the business hours of entertainment and commercial venues to increase the control of the epidemic on public holidays.
In response to the second peak of the epidemic, many African countries have begun to accelerate the process of vaccination against new coronary pneumonia. 10% will be the first to receive the new coronary pneumonia vaccine. In addition, the South African government is currently accelerating the procurement of new coronary pneumonia vaccines, and is expected to receive the first batch of new coronary pneumonia vaccines in early 2021.
2. The Angolan government recently officially approved the country’s vaccination plan, which will be free of charge in phases starting from February 2021: the first phase will give priority to people aged 40 and above at high risk of infection; the second phase will provide the market 20 to 39 years old Sales staff, public transportation service staff and motorcycle drivers, the plan will also cover foreigners in Angola.
3. Egypt plans to receive new crown pneumonia vaccines from abroad in batches from December, improve vaccine registration, and prioritize vaccinations for medical staff and vulnerable groups vulnerable to the threat of virus infection.
4. Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa stated that Zimbabwe has stepped up preparations for the promotion of the new crown pneumonia vaccine nationwide, and the Zimbabwe government has completed two extensive studies to assess the preparations for vaccination.
Facing the arrival of the second peak of the epidemic, African countries still need to further strengthen epidemic prevention and control measures according to local conditions. The office has also called on African countries to strengthen health and epidemic prevention measures during public holidays at the end of the year to avoid a surge in infections. However, judging from the recent rapid increase in confirmed cases of new crown pneumonia in South Africa and other African countries, African countries still need to formulate more effective epidemic prevention and control measures based on their actual national conditions and further strengthen their implementation to treat the new crown pneumonia epidemic to their own countries. The negative impact caused by the lives and health of the people and the social economy and other fields is minimized.
(reporter Zhou Lin)
(edited by Tang Zeyi)
