According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65 percent of Africa’s population is infected with the covid-19 virus. The number is much higher than previously thought.
According to the figures, the numbers of infected people are about 100 times higher than those that have been reported.
An analysis of 151 studies in Africa conducted on covid-19, with blood samples taken across the continent between January 2020 and December 2021, was used by the WHO to support its statement.
In a statement, WHO Africa Executive Director Matshidiso Moeti said, “This underestimation occurs everywhere, even in Africa where there are so many asymptomatic cases.”.
Milder outcomes because of a young population
Although infection rates on the continent are high, it has not affected its population as much as on other continents.
It appears that the milder outcome is due to the relatively small proportion of Africans with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. The WHO states that one of the reasons for Africa’s youth is a protective factor.
More than 250,000 people have died as a result of this pandemic in Africa to date.