Africa ‘On Track’ to Control Covid-19 Pandemic, Says WHO

African countries are on course to bring the Covid-19 pandemic and its emerging variants under control this year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Since the first confirmed outbreak in February 2020, Africa has faced major challenges — from the economic and social impact of lockdowns to persistent inequities in vaccine access. Despite these obstacles, the continent has recorded relatively low infection and death rates compared to global averages, with a higher proportion of recoveries, according to data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

“Over the past two years, the African continent has become smarter, faster, and more efficient at managing each new surge in Covid-19 cases,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“If current trends continue, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As long as we remain vigilant and intensify vaccination efforts, Africa is on track to control the pandemic,” she added during a press briefing on Thursday.

As of February 10, Africa had recorded nearly 11 million Covid-19 cases—around 3% of global totals—and about 242,000 deaths (4.2% of the worldwide figure). However, the continent still lags behind in vaccination coverage, with only 11% of adults fully vaccinated, the WHO reported.

Entering a New Phase

Africa has endured four major waves of the highly transmissible virus. Each wave brought a higher number of cases than the last, yet the fourth wave was unique: it lasted only six weeks and, for the first time, did not lead to a corresponding spike in hospitalizations or deaths, according to the WHO’s Africa office.

Dr. Moeti acknowledged, however, that actual infection rates could be higher than official data suggest due to limited testing capacity.

“We know that weaknesses in our surveillance systems and restricted access to testing supplies have likely led to an undercount of total cases,” she said.

As the continent moves into a new stage of the pandemic, Moeti emphasized the importance of strengthening health systems to better prepare for future outbreaks.

To support this, the WHO Africa office has launched an initiative in 15 countries to expand Covid-19 testing and distribute infection-prevention tools such as masks and hand sanitizers. The organization also highlighted that the number of Covid testing laboratories in Africa has grown from just two to more than 900 in under two years.

Challenges Ahead

Despite progress, experts warn of ongoing risks. Dr. John Nkengasong, head of the Africa CDC, cautioned last month that Covid-19 could become endemic on the continent due to the slow pace of vaccination. However, he noted that strict lockdowns were no longer an effective or sustainable containment measure.

The World Bank estimates that the pandemic pushed around 40 million Africans into extreme poverty, with lockdowns and other containment measures costing the continent billions in lost GDP.