New research in Zambia’s capital city challenges the common belief that Africa somehow “dodged” the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study in Lusaka, Zambia last summer finds that as many as 19% of recently deceased people tested positive for COVID-19.
“Our findings cast doubt on the assumption that COVID-19 somehow skipped Africa…”
The findings indicate that low numbers of reported infections and deaths across Africa may simply be from lack of testing, with the coronavirus taking a terrible but invisible toll on the continent.
Available on medRxiv ahead of peer-reviewed publication, the study finds that at least 15% and as many as 19% of recently deceased people arriving at Lusaka’s main morgue over the summer had the coronavirus, peaking at 31% in July. Despite most having had COVID symptoms, few were tested before death.