COVID-19 pandemic - an African perspective

• Published in: Emerging microbes & infections Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 1300 - 1308
• Main Authors: Lone, Shabir Ahmad, Ahmad, Aijaz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Africa; Africa - epidemiology; Animals; Betacoronavirus - pathogenicity; China - epidemiology; Chiroptera - virology; Civil Defense - economics; Clinical Laboratory Techniques - methods; coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - economics; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 Testing; Developing Countries - economics; Epidemiology; Europe - epidemiology; Global warming; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Pandemics; Pandemics - economics; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - economics; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - transmission; Review; Reviews; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Travel; United States - epidemiology; World Health Organization; United States; China; Europe; Africa; COVID-19; coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; Global warming; Epidemiology; Africa
• ISSN: 2222-1751; 2222-1751
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1775132

The recently emerged novel coronavirus, "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)", caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus was first reported from Wuhan city in China in December, 2019, which in less than three months spread throughout the globe and was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11th of March, 2020. So far, the ongoing pandemic severely damaged the world's most developed countries and is becoming a major threat for low- and middle-income countries. The poorest continent, Africa with the most vulnerable populations to infectious diseases, is predicted to be significantly affected by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, in this review we collected and summarized the currently available literature on the epidemiology, etiology, vulnerability, preparedness and economic impact of COVID-19 in Africa, which could be useful and provide necessary information on ongoing COVID-19 pandemics in the continent. We also briefly summarized the concomitance of the COVID-19 pandemic and global warming.