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The lack of data – mainly due low levels of testing – means it is still hard to say just how widespread #COVID19 is across #Africa. @khoureld + I delved into the numbers + other ways of trying to gauge the spread of the virus. https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/AFRICADATA/dgkplxkmlpb/
"Even at the best of times, collecting quality data from countries is not easy because people are stretched thin," said John Nkengasong, director of the @AfricaCDC. "Combine that with an emergency, and it becomes very, very difficult."
Levels of testing vary widely. The likes of #SouthAfrica, #Ghana + #Morocco are countries with large populations that have done serious testing. Giants like #DRC, #Nigeria + #Sudan have still done relatively little if you look at per capital testing.
Many countries are struggling to secure testing kits. Others aren’t pushing to do as much testing as they could or not sharing the information they have. This makes it hard for the likes of @WHO to help. "We cannot help a country against its own will."
The @ReutersGraphics team helped us compare several countries that have similar populations + are in the same region but have very different numbers.
Low levels of death registration across #Africa mean it is hard to look at excess mortality, as has been done elsewhere to look at the real impact of #COVID19.
“Without clarity on data, it is very hard to justify the economic pain that shutting down countries causes” @AmandaMcClella2 of the U.S.-based health policy initiative @ResolveTSL told @Reuters.
