Perspectives on Fewer Sars-2 Corona virus (COVID-19) Deaths in Africa

Abstract

Globally, more than two million people, about 53,000 in Africa have died from COVID-19 infection. By any metric, Africa has so far fared better than most parts of the world including, some of the most developed and affluent nations like the United States of America in the fight to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of published COVID-19 data shows that Africa, with a population four times greater than that of the United States recorded forty times less number of positive cases and at least thirty fold decrease in the number of COVID-19 deaths. The data also demonstrates that the population case positivity and fatality rates in Europe are respectively ~24 and ~23 folds greater than those of Africa. The vast disparity in the metrics between advanced nations in Europe and the United States, with substantial healthcare budgets and the developing nations of Africa is worth examining.  In this article, we offer some perspectives to explain Africa’s low case positivity and death rates from COVID-19 infections. While many factors contribute to the world’s collective vulnerability to the pandemic, structural, demographic and sound public health policy together are essential in fighting off the disease.