Spigzy wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 1:40 pm If Africa's vaccination rate is 10% and the virus is now well into it's second year, I guess the death toll must be catastrophic there? What are the figures - any reliable sources?

No. And your its is possessive.
I know you won't mind me saying.

There is something "mysterious" going on in Africa, which amazes scientists, said Wafaa El-Sadr, head of global health at Colombia University.
Africa doesn't have the vaccines or the resources to fight covid-19 that they have in Europe and the United States, but somehow they are apparently doing better," she told the APnewsagency.
New corona cases and deaths reported in the past week have decreased in the Africa region. Weekly infection cases on the continent are now lower than observed before the last resurgence of infection, which began in May 2021, according to a situation report from the WHO for week 46.
In fact, infection rates have been declining since July. According to AP, fewer than six percent in Africa are vaccinated.
Many causes
Researchers stress that it is extremely difficult to obtain accurate COVID-19 data, especially in African countries with irregular monitoring, AP writes. It is also warned that the trend could easily reverse.
But for months, the WHO has described Africa as one of the least affected regions in the world in its weekly pandemic reports.
In Europe, high travel activity, a relatively old population and high indoor contact rates during the winter months have contributed to a lot of spread of infection and admissions. In African countries, the picture is dominated by a young population that is less susceptible to disease and local conditions that limit the spread of infection more.
Researchers AP has spoken to also highlight lower urbanization rates and tend to spend more time outdoors as possible factors.
Possible malaria effect
There are many conditions related to immunity that are poorly mapped for the coronavirus. The importance of previously reviewed parasite disease, such as malaria, and other exposure to microbes, can make the immune system better adapted to corona infection in African countries.
Ap also writes that researchers working in Uganda have found that corona patients with a high incidence of exposure to malaria were less likely to suffer from a serious illness or death than people with little history of the disease.
Studies are examining whether there may also be genetic causes.
But also the virus itself may have developed in different directions with different characteristics on different continents, which are not yet very well mapped. Therefore, there are interesting questions that are asked, and which it is important to get answered in the future.
Rusting up
According to the WHO, Africa has a total of over six million cases of infection and more than 150,000 corona-related deaths have been recorded.
From 8 to 14 November, 9 960 cases of infection were reported in the region. This is a decrease of 47 per cent compared to the week before, according to the WHO situation report.

Got a link for that?

Yes, but it is in Norwegian.
https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/mystis ... e/74725114

Here is the link to the AP reference in English:
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus- ... 172eb01a2f

Thanks
A lot has changed in the 8 days since publication which addresses the entire continent rather than the zone of infection.

Two 2nd hand news reports from today
one negative, one positive

1/ It seems to be spreading fast.
Arrived in Au already. Europe in numbers. (not big numbers yet, but enough)
One report today said 10% of last 600 arrivals into UK from Sth Africa were Covid postive, of some kind They are just doing the genetics now but at least some of them are the new variant.
10%!! off the planes - after pre flight testing.

2/ A serious looking Dr Professor Something said this is a totally different scenario as the arrival of Delta just 12 months ago.
Masks, and other basic stuff - Vaxxes are on the role - Treatments are far better - Health responses generally are much better organised and prepared.
He was referring to the world in general, and he is probably at least partly right. imo.

SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:16 pm Two 2nd hand news reports from today
one negative, one positive

1/ It seems to be spreading fast.
Arrived in Au already. Europe in numbers. (not big numbers yet, but enough)
One report today said 10% of last 600 arrivals into UK from Sth Africa were Covid postive, of some kind They are just doing the genetics now but at least some of them are the new variant.
10%!! off the planes - after pre flight testing.

No new variants have been reported yet from those passengers, sequencing is currently being done in the Erasmus university in Rotterdam. Results expected later today.

Passengers on those two flight, of which indeed 10% tested positive, were not required to have a negative test.

They were required to show:
proof of vaccination or
proof of antibodies or
negative pre-flight test

No numbers have been published but I am pretty sure most showed proof of vaccination.

Multiple active cases now being reported throughout UK, EU and USA by BBC.
Add Australia.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 4:30 pm

SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:16 pm Two 2nd hand news reports from today
one negative, one positive

1/ It seems to be spreading fast.
Arrived in Au already. Europe in numbers. (not big numbers yet, but enough)
One report today said 10% of last 600 arrivals into UK from Sth Africa were Covid postive, of some kind They are just doing the genetics now but at least some of them are the new variant.
10%!! off the planes - after pre flight testing.

No new variants have been reported yet from those passengers, sequencing is currently being done in the Erasmus university in Rotterdam. Results expected later today.

Passengers on those two flight, of which indeed 10% tested positive, were not required to have a negative test.

They were required to show:
proof of vaccination or
proof of antibodies or
negative pre-flight test

No numbers have been published but I am pretty sure most showed proof of vaccination.

Just read 13 out 61 infected (out of 624 passengers from South Africa) were infected with the new Omicron variant.