Africa Faces Another Pandemic Wave Without Vaccines

Africa Faces Another Pandemic Wave Without Vaccines
A man walks past a mural on how to wear a face mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in Soweto, South Africa, May 15, 2021 (AP photo by Themba Hadebe).

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COVID-19 cases are rising across Africa, just as the limited supply of vaccines the continent has received is running dangerously low. Health officials are now asking Western nations that have hoarded early vaccine supplies to share more doses in a desperate bid to stem a new wave of infections.

The number of new COVID-19 infections in African countries increased nearly 20 percent last week to more than 88,000 cases, according to the World Health Organization. South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia have all experienced a rapid rise in new cases over the past week, and Uganda is recording its highest daily number of new infections since the start of the pandemic.

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