The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa surpassed 664,000 by Friday afternoon, figures from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) showed.
The data also showed that the number of deaths in the continent went beyond the 14,300 mark, as it continues to see a steady increase in infections.
South Africa remains the worst hit country on the continent, having reported the most infections and fatalities, standing at 324,221 and 4,669 respectively.
The figures represent 48.3 percent of Africa’s total cases and 32.2 percent of its deaths.
Only South Africa and Egypt have reported more than 4,000 deaths each on the continent.
Other than the two, Algeria – 1,057 – is the only other country that had registered more than 1,000 deaths.
The latest figures come as the World Health Organization warned that the pandemic was only worsening other crises, especially in Africa and the Middle East.
“Many countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East, are still reeling from years of conflict and other humanitarian crises. COVID-19 threatens to exacerbate many of these crises,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom said in a media briefing on Friday.
