Thread by @WHOAFRO

📺 LIVE: Tune in for the first @WHOAFRO press briefing of 2022. Dr @SalamGueye and @WitsUniversity's Dr Anita Graham are sharing the latest updates on the #COVID19 pandemic and #Omicron variant in #Africa. twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

"The world has entered the third year of the #COVID19 pandemic. The virus has caused great devastation. Millions of lives have been lost and livelihoods wiped out." - Dr @SalamGueye

"Here in #Africa, cumulative #COVID19 cases have now exceeded 10 million and more than 230,000 people have sadly died." - Dr @SalamGueye

"30 African countries have detected the #Omicron variant. In the hardest-hit countries, Omicron has quickly became the dominant variant. It overtook the Delta variant within two weeks or less." - Dr @SalamGueye

"#COVID19 deaths rose by 64% in the past week mainly due to infections among people at high-risk. Nonetheless, fatalities recorded so far in the fourth wave remain below those in the previous waves." - Dr @SalamGueye

"About 50% of the world’s population is now fully vaccinated. In #Africa, this is just 10%. Only seven countries met the target to vaccinate 40% of their population by December 2021." - Dr @SalamGueye #COVID19

"#COVID19 vaccination bottlenecks are less about supply than they are on rollout. At @WHO, we are increasing our support to countries to fast track and effectively deliver the doses to reach a much wider population." - Dr @SalamGueye