The pandemic appears to have spared Africa so far. Scientists are struggling to explain why | Science | AAAS

The pandemic appears to have spared Africa so far. Scientists are struggling to explain why | Science | AAAS

Africa’s COVID-19 mystery

Antibody surveys across Africa have shown that a large proportion of people has been infected with COVID-19 — but the continent has so far been spared the worst ravages of the disease. For example, perhaps 1 in 20 adults in Kenya, or 1.6 million people, have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, according to one preprint study that looked at blood donors in the country. Yet Kenya’s official death toll is under 500, it has not seen an overall rise in mortality and its hospitals have not reported large numbers of people with symptoms. Scientists are exploring whether the result could be due to the continent’s youthful populations, genetic factors or some kind of protection gleaned from exposure to other diseases.
Science | 6 min read