Africa: COVID-19 deaths pass 3,500, cases near 120,000

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - The coronavirus death toll in Africa has crossed 3,500 and the number of cases is now close to 120,000, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Wednesday.

According to the latest update, 118 more fatalities were recorded across the continent over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 3,589.

A total of 4,045 new COVID-19 cases pushed the overall count up to 119,391, with the number of active cases at 67,213.

Recoveries rose by 2,163 to reach 48,589, as per the Africa CDC data.

With 24,300, South Africa has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases on the continent, followed by Egypt with 18,800 cases.

Egypt, though, has the highest death toll – 797 – and South Africa is second with 524 fatalities.

North Africa is the continent’s hardest-hit region with 36,400 cases and 1,700 fatalities, followed by West Africa with 30,400 cases and 654 deaths.

Southern Africa is third on the list with 25,900 cases and 547 fatalities, ahead of Central Africa with 13,600 cases and 361 deaths, and East Africa with 13,000 cases and 351 fatalities.

According to the latest figures, 15,800 people have recovered from COVID-19 in North Africa, 13,400 in Southern Africa, 12,300 in West Africa, 3,700 in Central Africa, and 3,400 in East Africa.

More than 5.6 million cases have been confirmed in 188 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China last year.

The pandemic has killed more than 350,700 people worldwide, while 2.3 million people have recovered so far, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University of the US.